**Conflict of interest**

*Tourism*

paradigm.

tive edge.

and/or services. The SQS model is required to interrelate all stakeholders in the recreational seaport (internally & externally) sector. The SQS model places emphasis on customer (internal & external) orientations and involves all recreational seaport units. It requires the active involvement and empowerment of staff and is based on a long-term commitment to the continuous improvement of the management

If the Malaysian government merely continues to increase capital expenditure to improve recreational seaport annually, the end result will be dismal. It will have limited positive impact on the recreational seaport attractiveness. Rather than allocating large amount of money solely for capacity expansion in recreational seaport, the same amount should be used to enhance the quality of management and embed the quality culture in the recreational seaport management and operations. Thus, for recreational seaport to be sustainable and be competitive in the face of risks, there is a need to manage these risks. Knowing how to identify risks, facet a value and a priority scale, design actions and device to minimise risks, and constantly monitoring them are essential to ensure recreational seaport survives and gives sustainable value. From a researcher viewpoint, it is interesting to use the SQS model in recreational seaport. It may provide the best strategic approach for recreational seaport at present and in the future to carve out a competi-

This chapter recognises the importance of introducing the SQS model in any recreational seaport. Further, this research, which has reviewed existing research on seaport quality, has contributed to improving the understanding of what seaport quality is. The main finding of the definition of seaport quality, and from my viewpoint, is that it is a very broad subjective matter to define. However, from the findings of existing literature, its definition would be categorised into three categories: seaport effectiveness, seaport reliability and seaport governance. In addition, this chapter helps recreational seaport managers and users understand clearly about recreational seaport quality. In short, this chapter serves as a guideline for the recreational seaport community to improve the quality of all relevant elements to

The attractiveness of recreational seaport is no longer based on strategic location but on the provision of efficient, prompt and quality services, excellent logistics and also land transport infrastructure and sea transport network. Recreational seaport has become commercial services and gateways. In fact, recreational seaports play a vital role in the domestic and international markets, if they can manage the services effectively and efficiently and be able to prevent unwanted consequences. Thus, constant evaluations need to be done by recreational seaport operators on its operations or processes, especially those related to providing marketing and selling of services to the end-users. It can be said that by improving the quality of the recreational seaport system and activities from any angle could improve the performance and competitiveness of this sector. Thus, to be sustainable and remain competitive in the face of risks, by adopting the SQS model can significantly reduce those risks and provide very good quality services and sustainable development of

The authors are thankful for the helpful comments of anonymous reviewers at Intech Open Book and the valuable suggestions given by anonymous referees. The authors would also like to thank the team doing this paper for their help, contribu-

tions and assistance in the preparation of this manuscript.

improve the performance of recreational seaport.

the recreational seaport industry.

**Acknowledgements**

**84**

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper.
