An expert system approach to assess service performance of travel intermediary

Abstract: Asian travel industry, in terms of outbound travel markets, has been confronting the global accelerating competition in 21st century. Regarding to the outbound travels, the incumbent travel intermediaries (destination tour operators), the ultimate front-liners of tourism packages provisions is accordingly essential. Technically, estimation on the incumbent travel intermediaries is a series of multiple-criteria decision making (MCDM). Subsequently, this paper executes the implementation of focus group which interviewed 35 travel experts and further integrates the analytic network process approach (ANP) via the insights of host travel agency. Research results objectively enable the Asian travel agencies to evaluate the sustained travel intermediary as well as elaborating the service performance and quality. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]