Work

How Tourism Offerings and Soft Skills Drive Repeat Purchases: A Study of the Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Repeat visitation is a critical measure of success in tourism. While prior studies have examined service quality and staff behaviour separately, their combined effect on visitor loyalty remains underexplored. This study investigates how service offerings and selected employee soft skills influence repeat visits to tourism establishments in the Moravian–Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. The research was conducted under the auspices of two institutional projects on regional tourism trends (2017–2022). Primary data were collected from 698 residents of the region through a structured questionnaire across 73 tourism businesses. The survey was carried out between 2018 and 2021 to capture pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic trends. Respondents rated 10 service and behavioural attributes using a five-point Likert scale. Systematic random sampling ensured representativeness. The data were analysed using chi-square tests (SPSS), with two hypotheses tested regarding the moderating roles of gender (H1) and education (H2). The findings confirm that attractive service offerings combined with strong soft skills – such as communication, teamwork, and customer service – significantly affect repeat visitation. The statistical results show χ²(3) = 1.050 (p = 0.789) for H1, leading to rejection of the gender moderation hypothesis, and χ²(6) = 14.982 (p = 0.020) for H2, confirming education as a moderating factor. Thus, educational background influences the relationship between product knowledge and repurchasing behaviour, whereas gender does not. This study contributes to the literature by integrating service quality and human capital perspectives and emphasising the underexplored interaction between offerings, soft skills, and visitor loyalty. For practice, the results highlight the need for continuous staff development in soft skills and innovation in service design, which are vital for improving competitiveness and fostering sustainable tourism growth in the Moravian–Silesian Region and similar destinations.

Source: Forum Scientiae Oeconomia

Authors: Patrik Kajzar, Pavol Schwarcz, Loreta Schwarczova

Institution: Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra

Language: English

Topic: Customer Service Quality and Loyalty

Subfield: Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: diamond

Funder: Ministerstvo Školství, Mládeže a Tělovýchovy

OpenAlex ID: W7133567206

FWCI:

Cites:

Cited by:

Related to: