HOSPITALIDADE E QUALIDADE NO SETOR DE SERVIÇOS: A PERCEPÇÃO SOBRE O ATENDIMENTO EM ESPAÇOS DE HOSPITALIDADE COMERCIAL E URBANA EM SÃO LUÍS (MA)

Overview

This research examines the perception of service quality in commercial and urban hospitality spaces in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. The study extends the traditional understanding of hospitality beyond accommodation to encompass broader social and consumption contexts. Drawing on service quality frameworks and hospitality theory, the investigation focuses on how users perceive public service delivery in both commercial establishments and urban environments. The research situates service quality as a key indicator of user satisfaction and loyalty within the service sector, while exploring the manifestations of welcoming, empathy, and service provision within the cultural context of São Luís. The study applies established service quality models to analyze hospitality practices outside conventional hotel settings, examining the intersection of urban infrastructure, service practices, and human relations in shaping hospitality experiences.

Methods and approach

The research employs a qualitative approach with quantitative elements, utilizing theoretical frameworks from service quality literature including the SERVQUAL model and hospitality studies encompassing commercial and urban dimensions. The investigation draws on conceptual foundations related to service quality assessment, commercial hospitality practices, and urban hospitality environments. The methodological framework examines user perceptions of service delivery across different hospitality contexts in São Luís, analyzing expressions of reception, empathy, and service quality. The study connects these perceptions to local cultural identity and the humanization of consumption relations, applying service quality dimensions to assess hospitality beyond traditional hospitality industry boundaries.

Results

The research findings indicate that hospitality in São Luís is perceived heterogeneously, resulting from interactions among urban structure, service practices, and human relationships. The study confirms the applicability of the SERVQUAL model for analyzing hospitality beyond the hotel sector, demonstrating its utility in broader commercial and urban contexts. Three dimensions emerge as central to service quality and urban hospitality strengthening: empathy in service encounters, professional training and capacity development of service providers, and spatial organization of hospitality environments. The heterogeneous perception of hospitality reflects the complex interplay between physical infrastructure, operational practices, and interpersonal dynamics within the local cultural context of São Luís.

Implications

The findings establish that service quality models developed for commercial contexts can be effectively extended to urban hospitality analysis, providing frameworks for assessing public service delivery in urban spaces. The centrality of empathy, professional capacity, and spatial organization suggests specific areas for intervention in improving hospitality experiences in both commercial and urban settings. The heterogeneous nature of hospitality perception indicates that service quality improvements require integrated approaches addressing structural, operational, and human dimensions simultaneously. The research contributes to understanding how cultural identity influences service expectations and experiences, with implications for service sector development in regional contexts. The study demonstrates that urban hospitality extends beyond commercial transactions to encompass broader dimensions of public space utilization and civic interaction, suggesting that service quality frameworks must account for these expanded contexts in urban environments.

Disclosure

• Research title: HOSPITALIDADE E QUALIDADE NO SETOR DE SERVIÇOS: A PERCEPÇÃO SOBRE O ATENDIMENTO EM ESPAÇOS DE HOSPITALIDADE COMERCIAL E URBANA EM SÃO LUÍS (MA)
• Authors: Antonys Taylor Luz dos Santos
• Publication date: 2026-01-07
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.54751/revistafoco.v19n1-012
• OpenAlex record: View
• Image credit: Photo by Cova Software on Unsplash (Source • License)
• Disclosure: This post was generated by artificial intelligence. The original authors did not write or review this post.