An overview of tourism and hospitality scales: discussion and recommendations

PurposeScales play an important role in researching and understanding a field. This study aims to explore scales developed in hospitality and tourism to identify the trends and the gaps in the scale development studies with a view to make scale development recommendations for future studies.Design/methodology/approachThe study explores and analyses 253 scales developed from the perspectives of scope and methodology. The scales were first grouped into categories to identify trends and gaps in scale development to be able to make recommendations from the scope perspective. Then, for the methodology perspective, the scales were analysed according to various criteria such as sampling, reliability, validity and pilot testing reporting.FindingsThe study shows that while there are opportunities in some areas to develop newer scales, some areas appear to be saturated. It is important to note that all scales appear to be self-report scales which may result in the measurement of self-perceptions of people alone regarding a phenomenon. The study also pointed out some of the methodological shortcomings in the scales developed.Research limitations/implicationsThe study has both theoretical and practical implications. From a theoretical implications perspective, the study identified the overlaps and the gaps in scale development and provided several new scale development ideas concerning their scopes/topics and methodologies. From a practical perspective, the study shed light on the extent which the scales are relevant and useable by the practitioners in the tourism and hospitality establishments.Originality/valueThe study is original as there is no collective review of hospitality and tourism scales. The study identifies the trends, gaps, overlaps and some of the weaknesses of the scales developed and offers several valuable recommendations for the future.