COMPARISON OF POLISH, CZECH AND SLOVAK SKI RESORTS USING THE FREE DISPOSABLE HULL ANALYSIS

Abstract

Purpose. The aim of this study is: (1) to compare the features of ski resorts in Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia in relation to the prices of ski passes, (2) to indicate the best ski resorts in these countries in terms of value for money - the ratio of offered quality to the price of ski passes, (3) to compare of differences in value for money (e.g. offered quality compared to the price of a ski pass) in these countries. Method. Data for analysis were features of quality and prices of one-day ski passes for 245 ski resorts in Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The data was obtained from the websites of the surveyed ski resorts and web pages: skiinfo.pl, holidayinfo.cz and holidayinfo.sk. The quality index of ski resorts was constructed using Principal Component Analysis of the seventeen quality features regarding the studied resorts. The comparison of ski resorts was conducted using the Free Disposable Hull analysis. Differences in the level of quality of the resorts' and ski pass prices were calculated using the Kruskal-Wallis H nonparametric test. Findings. Eleven features of the eighteen surveyed locations were differentiated between surveyed countries (including the price of the ski pass: Polish ski passes are the most expensive and the cheapest are in Slovakia). The FDH analysis revealed the existence of eight effective – from the skiers' point of view – ski resorts, i.e. those that offer the given quality at the lowest price (value for money). Polish ski resorts are characterized by significantly higher quality than Czech or Slovak resorts. Research and conclusion limitations. The analysis did not take the impact that congestion and queues to lifts, prices of accommodation, restaurants and nightlife in the resort (except night skiing) might have had on the skiers decision into account. The results may also be influenced by the method of quality index construction. Practical implications. The results of FDH analysis enable the identification of inefficient ski resorts in the analysed countries and indication of the differences existing in terms of quality between ski resorts. The conclusions allow to select the most efficient ski resorts which can be helpful in the design of tourist offers and it may also indicate the need for adjustments in prices of ski passes at some ski resorts. Originality. No comparative analyses of Polish, Czech and Slovak ski resorts were found in the literature to date. Type of paper. The article presents the results of empirical research.