How to Improve Tour Leaders and Guides Service Performance through Emotional Display Rules – The Moderating Effect of Job Stress

Abstract

If tour guides or leaders want to improve service quality, their emotions must be treated squarely and systematically trained. Therefore, this research explored the impacts of the emotional display rules on tour leaders and guides facing occupational stress regarding service performance and the moderating effect of job stress to construct a service performance model. The questionnaire survey was based on legally registered consolidated travel agencies in Taiwan's northern, central, and southern regions. Each selected travel agency was sent 10 questionnaires for the tour leaders or guides who worked for the agency to fill in. A total of 5,616 questionnaires were distributed. And 394 valid questionnaires were obtained. Data were processed using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling. Results revealed that trust and work involvement significantly influence emotional display rules, and job stress has moderation effects on emotional display rules and service performance. This study utilized a service performance impact model to explore and verify. The results provide specific and meaningful verifications for academic research on job stress and emotional labour. This would fill the research gap in previous literature on emotional labour and discussion on travel agencies. This research provides references in both practical and academic fields through different perspectives.