Attributes of destination choice: British skiing in Canada

Abstract

This paper presents the findings of a preliminary investigation into factors affecting the destination choice of British skiers travelling to Canada. Various ‘decision’ elements have been discussed in the literature, including income, family size, cost, accessibility, skill level, snow conditions and terrain diversity. The results of this research suggest snow quality and diversity of the skiing terrain are two of the most important features of a destination for skiers with (respectively) an intermediate or advanced ability. While holiday cost was still a feature, as British skiers (in Canada at least), tend to come from Britain’s higher socio-economic groups, this aspect was not considered significant by respondents. This suggests ski destinations and holiday providers might be better placed putting more emphasis on the ‘ski experience’ and snow quality in British-based promotions, particularly given a significant growth of this market in recent years.