COMPETENCIES OF SERVICE PROVIDERS IN RELIGIOUS PLACES: A CASE STUDY OF THE RELIGIOUS TOURISM INDUSTRY IN KARBALA

Abstract

Mohammed Abd Ali Jasim Alshaibani, Mohsen Alizadeh Sani*, Meisam Shirkhodaia and Bahareh Abedin

Failure to provide services can lead to negative coping behaviors in service recipients, but the perception of the competencies of service providers can reduce such destructive behaviors. Hence, the purpose of this research is to identify the dimensions of required competencies for tourism service providers in religious tourism’s environments in order to prevent the negative behavior of pilgrims (such as revenge and avoidance) in dealing with service failure. This research is a descriptive-exploratory applied research. The statistical population of the study is the religious tourists of Karbala city in the period of July to December 2023, and the research data was collected based on semi-structured in-depth interviews with non-random/ convenient sampling method from 60 religious tourists. The interviews were coded and categorized by thematic analysis method. The findings showed that the following competencies in religious tourism environments -without regarding the order they are placed in- can lead to the reduction of service failure and negative coping behaviors: Practical efficiency; Ability to adapt to the work environment; Adaptability to breakthroughs; Interpersonal skills; Ability to manage time; Problem-solving skills; Reception and etiquette skills; Honesty and privacy in the work environment; Providing help and support.