Evaluating Hospitality: Tourist Perceptions of Servicescape in Siquijor’s Accommodations through the Lens of Bitner’s Servicescape Model

Abstract

In today’s highly competitive service landscape, businesses increasingly recognize the strategic value of well-designed physical environments—what Bitner (1992) termed the servicescape—to enhance customer satisfaction, brand loyalty, and operational performance. This study employed a quantitative research design using proportional sampling (via Slovin’s formula) and high-reliability instruments (Cronbach’s α = 0.92–0.95) to assess tourist perceptions across three primary servicescape dimensions: Ambient Condition, Spatial Layout, and Signs, Symbols, and Artifacts. Data were analyzed using weighted means and path analysis to evaluate both the perceived importance and statistical impact of individual environmental factors. Guided by the Expanded Servicescape Model proposed by Mansueto, Magsayo, and Suan (2025)—which introduces expanded subdimensions such as flexibility, symbolic significance, and Instagrammability (see Figure 1)—the findings reveal a consistent misalignment between what tourists perceive as important and what most strongly influences their experience. While cleanliness and configuration received the highest ratings, factors like sensory balance, adaptability, and symbolic relevance had greater predictive power. These results underscore the need for service environments that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also emotionally engaging, contextually adaptive, and culturally resonant. The study was conducted independently, without external funding, to ensure objectivity and academic integrity.