Service Quality and Customer satisfaction: The Mediating Role of Customer Delight

Abstract

This study investigates the mediating role of customer delight in the relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction within the tourism and hospitality sector. Drawing on data collected from 400 valid questionnaires distributed to international tourists in Antalya, Turkey, the proposed model was tested using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4. The findings confirm that multiple dimensions of service quality significantly influence customer delight, which in turn enhances customer satisfaction. Moreover, delight mediates the relationships between employee attitudes and behaviors, waiting time, and satisfaction, highlighting its role as an emotional bridge that transforms service encounters into more impactful customer outcomes. The results reinforce the idea that delight is not merely an extension of satisfaction but a distinct construct that plays a crucial role in shaping loyalty and long-term engagement. For managers and practitioners, the study emphasizes the importance of focusing on service quality elements such as safety, sociability, responsiveness, and staff behavior to foster delight, improve satisfaction, and encourage repeat patronage. By integrating customer delight into the service quality–satisfaction framework, this research extends SERVQUAL theory and contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of how emotional responses drive competitive advantage in tourism and hospitality.