ABSTRACT
The dynamic nature of the hospitality, tourism, and leisure industry has fueled the quest for improved service quality among all internal and external stakeholders. Travel agents, tour guide operators, chambers of commerce, tourism boards, hotel and restaurant suppliers, advertising agencies, and other constituents strive for competitive advantages to meet customer needs and achieve their profit or nonprofit goals. These and other organizations in the industry understand the importance of partnerships with others in the channel of distribution system. They know their employees should provide quality service, and they want to meet customers' expectations. But who is responsible for the management and marketing of these interdependent relationships? Too often, this relationship building is left to chance. Deliberate strategies are needed for encouraging the synergistic effect among individual employees, customers, and intermediaries in the delivery of service quality.
