Ski Resorts Research Articles

Evaluation of Selected Promotional Activities of Ski Resorts in Poland – A Study on Kotelnica Białczańska Ski Resort in Białka Tatrzańska

Purpose. The article addresses the issue of choosing optimal communication methods for enterprises operating on the tourist service market with buyers of services in conditions of competition and a constantly changing environment. The aim of this study is to present the evaluation of effectiveness of selected promotional activities used by ski resorts in Poland on the example of Kotelnica Białczańska Ski Resort in Białka Tatrzańska. Method. To achieve the purpose of the work,field studies such as survey interviews were carried out among randomly selected 1,236 tourists – skiers, snowboarders and other people staying at the Kotelnica Białczańska Ski Resort. The group of respondents from Poland consisted of 1,159 people and from abroad, 77 individuals. The research was conducted during the 2014/2015 ski season. The questionnaire included e.g. issues related to the motives for choosing the studied ski resort as a place for skiing or snowboarding, the sources of knowledge about this ski resort and the promotional activities used by managers of the studied enterprise. Findings. In conclusion, it was stated e.g., that nowadays, the most important source from which current and potential customers get information about ski resorts is the opinion of their friends and family members. The second most important source of information is the Internet. However, promotional activities used intraditional media, despite the fact that they cover a significant part of the marketing budget, bring significantly weaker results than the opinion sand recommendations of friends or Internet marketing. Research and conclusions limitations. Exploratory research. Selected promotional activities were evaluated in the article. The author mainly focused on the activities used in traditional media. Practical implications. The results can be used in the management of ski resorts in Poland and abroad as well as by other tourist enterprises and local authorities. Originality. The article fills a gap concerning shortage of domestic scientific literature on the promotional activities used by commercial enterprises operating on the tourist service market. Type of paper. Empirical research.

The effect of price on word of mouth: First time versus heavy repeat visitors

Many tourist destinations strongly focus and depend on repeat visitors. A central assumption thereby is that repeat visitors are more profitable (e.g. through lower marketing costs) and that their positive word of mouth (WOM) is essential to attract new guests. In this paper, we present a large-scale empirical study to investigate the effect of price for first time and heavy repeat visitors of ski resorts. Applying a hierarchical linear modelling approach, we show that price is negatively related to WOM for first time visitors and that price has no effect on WOM for repeat visitors. Thus, we show that the effect of price on WOM decreases for repeat visitors.

"To compare or not to compare?": Comparative appeals in destination advertising of ski resorts

This study examined the effectiveness of comparative appeals in destination advertising through an experiment with a randomized paired comparison design. Both cognitive and affective responses were measured toward comparative versus non-comparative advertising of a ski resort. The findings demonstrate that respondents viewed comparative advertising to be more persuasive than non-comparative advertising. However, their attitudes were less favorable toward comparative advertising for destinations. More specifically, comparative advertising was found to be more persuasive in the advertising of famous destinations rather than unknown destinations. Further, comparative advertising was more effective for those who were aware of the advertised destination than those who were not.

Climate change acknowledgement and responses of summer (glacier) ski visitors in Norway

ABSTRACTThe mutual interaction of climate change and the highly weather-dependent ski tourism business is drawing increasing attention from the academic, commercial and political arenas. Changes in the cryosphere are becoming major determinants of the sustainability of ski areas. Therefore, there is a great deal of literature entailing impact and adaptation studies regarding ski areas, resorts, and destinations; however, research on the demand side of the issue is relatively limited. In this paper, the relationship between climate change and a niche segment of ski tourism, summer skiing, is discussed with regard to the awareness, perceptions, and mitigation and substitution behaviours of visitors to the summer downhill ski centres in Norway – an underresearched country, despite its recognition as the cradle of skiing. For this purpose, a comprehensive survey was administered to a sample of 224 subjects. The results revealed high climate change awareness but limited climate friendliness, and a strong emphasis on the immediate climate impacts on summer skiing that create a tendency towards ski activity substitution within Norway. Individual profiles also played a significant role in the anticipated mitigation and substitution behaviours. The implications of the results involving demand attitude and behaviour are further discussed with regard to the suppliers.

Factors Affecting Corporate Sustainability Among Colorado Ski Resorts: A Mixed Methods Approach

Factors Affecting Corporate Sustainability Among Colorado Ski Resorts: A Mixed Methods Approach

The effects of seasonal business diversification of British Columbia ski resorts on forest management

Some ski resorts are shifting their business models from winter-only snow-based activities to year-round tourism. This may be happening as a result of climate change or because of a change in recreationists' behaviour, amongst other causes. Using destination governance as a theoretical framework, this research sought to understand factors that allow such business shifts, as well as the impacts of such shifts on forest management in the areas surrounding the ski resorts. Four case studies in British Columbia were chosen: Whistler, Sun Peaks resort, Hemlock Valley resort and Mount Washington resort. In each case, opinions of stakeholders were collected through semi-structured interviews and the data were analyzed by a method inspired by grounded theory and thematic analysis. The strength of the communities and their incorporation into resort municipalities were identified as critical factors allowing a shift from winter-only to all-season to happen in a ski resort. Forestry practices were affected by the shift because of a change in management values towards more recreation and aesthetic values. An increase in the number of stakeholders with varied vested interests in forest management was believed to have resulted in improved destination management and leadership. The quality of life of shifted communities increased and was linked to a more environmentally friendly approach to land stewardship. This research contributes to overall research on destination governance and leadership. Management implicationsThe experiences in Canadian resorts show that forest management around mountain resorts require new priorities. Three aspects are crucial:•A shift in seasonal management considering outdoor recreation all year round.•A lesser focus on extraction maintaining visual values.•An inclusion of more stakeholders in the management system supporting self-regulation mechanisms in land stewardship and enhancing the quality of life of the residents.

The Economic Sustainability of Snow Tourism: The Case of Ski Resorts in Austria, France, and Italy

The purpose of this article is to analyse whether ski resorts in Europe are economically viable. Data originates from the financial statements of the 61 largest ski lift operators in Austria, France, and Italy. Descriptive statistics reveal that these operators are characterized by positive and relatively high returns, and by having little debt in general terms. The results show that the most economically profitable ski operators are also the largest. The elevation of the ski area is not relevant. Ski lift operators in Austria have a higher profitability than those in France and Italy. Overall, larger ski resorts are better prepared for the future investment needed to adapt to the new conditions in the industry, such as climate variability.

Ski Tourism and Web Marketing Strategies: The Case of Ski Resorts in France and Spain

The impacts of climate change are affecting ski tourism in Europe’s southernmost ski resorts, such as those in France, and Spain. This is leading to changes in the scheduling of activities which, in turn, imply changes in how ski resorts are managed. The main aim of this work is to analyze whether ski resort websites are developing an effective marketing strategy and if they are adapted to e-commerce and the needs of contemporary society, including the adaptations needed to better face climate change and the stagnation the sector is suffering. In order to achieve this, we have developed a model to analyze ski resort websites; it is based on web content analysis, taking four factors into account: information, communication, e-commerce, and additional functions. We will, secondly, apply the eMICA (Extended Model of Internet Commerce Adoption) methodology to analyze the maturity of such e-commerce activities in ski tourism. Fifty-two ski resorts in Spain and 173 in France were analyzed. Results show that, while alpine ski resorts in general, and those in France in particular, are better prepared, resorts still have to facilitate more effective communication and interaction with their target public. A minority of resorts provide information on environmental certifications and snowmaking.

Assessing potential winter weather response to climate change and implications for tourism in the U.S. Great Lakes and Midwest

Study RegionEight U.S. states bordering the North American Laurentian Great Lakes. Study FocusVariable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model simulations, based on data from an ensemble of atmospheric-ocean general circulation models (AOGCMs) used for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC's) Fifth Assessment Report (AR5), were used to quantify potential climate change impacts on winter weather and hydrology in the study region and understand implications for its tourism sector. New Hydrologic Insights for the RegionBy the 2080s, climate change could result in winters that are shorter by over a month, reductions of over a month in days with snow depths required for many kinds of winter recreation, declines in average holiday snow depths of 50 percent or more, and reductions in the percent area of the study region that would be considered viable for winter tourism from about 22 percent to 0.3 percent. Days with temperatures suitable for artificial snowmaking decline to less than a month annually, making it potentially less feasible as an adaptation strategy. All of the region's current ski resorts are operating in areas that will become non-viable for winter tourism businesses under a high emissions scenario. Given the economic importance of the winter tourism industry in the study region, businesses and communities should consider climate change and potential adaptation strategies in their future planning and overall decision-making.

Injuries among children and adults in alpine skiing and snowboarding

ObjectivesTo compare the prevalence of injury sites between children and adults in alpine skiing and snowboarding. DesignRetrospective comparative study. MethodsThe injuries occurring in 14 major Norwegian ski resorts were recorded by ski patrols the winter seasons 2010/2011 and 2011/2012. The injuries were related to age, equipment and other factors. ResultsA total of 1603 injured children ≤12years and 3202 injured adults ≥20years were recorded. The prevalence of shoulder injuries was twice as high in adults as in children both in alpine skiers (14% vs. 7%) (p<0.001) and snowboarders (20% vs. 10%) (p<0.001). Also the prevalence of knee injuries were higher for adults than for children in skiing (30% vs. 22%) (p<0.001) as well as in snowboarding (8% for vs. 4%) (p=0.009). Both the prevalence of snowboarding wrist injuries and skiing lower leg fractures were higher among children than adults (32% vs. 18%, p<0.001 and 12.6% vs. 3.6%, p<0.001 respectively). More children than adult skiers suffered their injuries in terrain parks with 18% vs. 13% (p<0.001). In contrast, more adult than child snowboarders (36% vs. 26%) (p=0.007) suffered their injury in terrain parks. ConclusionsThe prevalence of shoulder and knee injuries was higher in adults than in children both in skiing and boarding. In contrast, the prevalence of snowboarding wrist injuries and skiing lower leg fractures were higher in children than in adults. More children than adult alpine skiers suffered their injury in terrain parks, whereas the reverse was observed for snowboarders.

Sharing the same slope: Behavioral responses of a threatened mesocarnivore to motorized and nonmotorized winter recreation.

Winter recreation is a widely popular activity and is expected to increase due to changes in recreation technology and human population growth. Wildlife are frequently negatively impacted by winter recreation, however, through displacement from habitat, alteration of activity patterns, or changes in movement behavior. We studied impacts of dispersed and developed winter recreation on Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) at their southwestern range periphery in Colorado, USA. We used GPS collars to track movements of 18 adult lynx over 4 years, coupled with GPS devices that logged 2,839 unique recreation tracks to provide a detailed spatial estimate of recreation intensity. We assessed changes in lynx spatial and temporal patterns in response to motorized and nonmotorized recreation, as well as differences in movement rate and path tortuosity. We found that lynx decreased their movement rate in areas with high‐intensity back‐country skiing and snowmobiling, and adjusted their temporal patterns so that they were more active at night in areas with high‐intensity recreation. We did not find consistent evidence of spatial avoidance of recreation: lynx exhibited some avoidance of areas with motorized recreation, but selected areas in close proximity to nonmotorized recreation trails. Lynx appeared to avoid high‐intensity developed ski resorts, however, especially when recreation was most intense. We conclude that lynx in our study areas did not exhibit strong negative responses to dispersed recreation, but instead altered their behavior and temporal patterns in a nuanced response to recreation, perhaps to decrease direct interactions with recreationists. However, based on observed avoidance of developed recreation, there may be a threshold of human disturbance above which lynx cannot coexist with winter recreation.

Cooperative pricing in spatially differentiated markets

The empirical literature on mergers, market power and cooperation in differentiated markets has mainly focused on methods relying on output and/or panel data. In contrast to this literature we propose an approach to analyze cooperative behavior among a group of firms only by making use of information on the spatial structure of a horizontally differentiated market. Using spatial econometrics techniques we focus on differences in the pricing behavior between different groups of firms, i.e. alliance and stand-alone firms. We apply this method to the market for ski lift tickets using a unique data set on ticket prices and detailed resort-specific characteristics covering all ski resorts in Austria. We show that prices of ski resorts forming alliances are higher and increase with the size and towards the spatial center of an alliance. Interaction in pricing is higher within than outside alliances. All results are in line with the findings of theoretical models on non-competitive pricing behavior in horizontally differentiated markets.

スキー場の拡声放送に使用される単語の出現頻度・単語親密度・難聴取音素数の調査

スキー場の拡声放送に使用される単語の出現頻度・単語親密度・難聴取音素数の調査

The 13th AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Interactive Digital Entertainment

The 13th AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Interactive Digital Entertainment (AIIDE 2017) was held at the Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort in Little Cottonwood Canyon in the Wasatch Range of the Rocky Mountains near Salt Lake City, Utah. Along with the main conference presentations, the meeting included two tutorials, three workshops, and invited keynote talks. This report summarizes the main conference. It also includes contributions from the organizers of the three workshops.

스키리조트 유소년 스키강습상품 활성화를 위한 탐색적 연구

스키리조트 유소년 스키강습상품 활성화를 위한 탐색적 연구

Variable pricing and change in alpine skiing attendance

In this article, we examine two aspects of the relation between variable intra-week pricing and alpine skiing attendance at three ski resorts in Norway. First, we study what affects the probability of increased skiing frequency during the midweek if the price is reduced in this period compared to the regular (weekend) price. Second, we examine the cannibalization effect from a lower midweek price on the weekend skiing activity. Our results show that the probability of increased midweek skiing at a lower price is significantly influenced by age and income. The probability that cannibalization occurs is significantly influenced by skiing interest and family status.

Analysis of past changes in wet bulb temperature in relation to snow making conditions based on long term observations Austria and Germany

Abstract Ski resorts increasingly rely on snow making to ensure good quality skiing regardless of the variability of the natural snow cover. This study aims to quantify past changes in snow making conditions based on an analysis of long-term wet bulb temperature time series from 20 weather stations in Germany and Austria. The weather stations are located at a range of altitudes from 267 m to 3109 m, in the vicinity of ski resorts. The lengths of the time-series range from 54 to 83 years. Using a threshold mean daily wet bulb temperature of −2 °C we define ‘potential snow making days’ and track changes in the number of snow making days in the months of the early skiing season (October, November, December) by computing linear trends, comparing consecutive 20 year periods, and Mann-Kendall trend testing of overlapping sub-periods. The number of snow making days changes least in October and most in December when averaged over all stations. Very high stations show more change in October and less change in December than the lower stations. Several stations show a significant decrease of snow making days per month, particularly in more recent sub-periods, but trends vary strongly between stations and for different sub-periods. Sub-periods with positive trends are present in earlier phases of the time series at some stations and inter-annual variability is generally 1–2 orders of magnitude greater than detected trends. Detailed microclimatic studies are necessary to determine potential future effects of changes in snow making conditions on the scale of a ski resort.

Snow storage – Modelling, theory and some new research

The arrival of natural snow is often delayed nowadays due to global warming. This causes problems for ski resorts and other places where winter activities in different forms take place. Storing snow provides one solution for the winter business industry to deal with this problem. However, there is so far very little research concerning this question. In this paper a review of current knowledge of snow storage and experiences from mainly Scandinavian snow storages is presented. New results concerning melting losses of stored snow from a trial experiment in the north of Sweden are presented. These results are compared to theoretical calculations. The model used for the calculations is shown to be useful for estimating melting losses of insulated piles of snow. Thus the calculations can serve as an important background when designing an insulated snow depot. The model can also be used to compare different insulating materials and to determine properties such as thickness of the insulating layer needed to sufficiently insulate the snow. By minimizing the surface area of insulated snow depots, melt rate due to heat from the air, sun and sky, which constitute the largest part of the total melt, can be reduced. The quality of insulating materials used will be subject to annual observation. Commonly used insulating materials such as bark, wood chips, cutter shavings and sawdust deteriorate.

UNESCO Global Geoparks, Geotourism and Communication of the Earth Sciences: A Case Study in the Chablais UNESCO Global Geopark, France

The last twenty years have seen considerable developments in geotourism, a form of sustainable tourism. This has been also a period of significant development for UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGps), on one hand with the creation of the International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme, and the other, in the number and diversity of UGGps recognised across the world. Geoparks have particular characteristics, such as a spatial engagement across an area, as well as the long-term commitment associated with this type of label. UGGps take a broad approach to geotourism, and seek to engage with all demographics, including “unsuspecting” geotourists. This is particularly relevant when considering that the Geopark profile has evolved since the introduction of the UNESCO label, and that a number UGGps are pre-existing tourist destinations and have diverse economies and strong growth. UGGps draw on professional, multidisciplinary teams that combine scientific knowledge, science communication, and outreach events to achieve effective heritage transmission through actions that target schools, the local population, and the general public. These are not traditional structures and do not have behavioural constraints imposed on them as experienced by some educational structures or museums. The present case study is an example of the type of innovation seen in UGGps, whereby novel solutions are employed in order to touch as wide a public as possible. The action presented is a winter outreach event for the general public in the Chablais UNESCO Global Geopark (France), that was developed in partnership with the Portes du Soleil association of 12 ski resorts. This consisted of an orienteering/treasure hunt game across one of the world’s largest ski domains, that included panels with anecdotes presenting different aspects of the Chablais geoheritage. It demonstrates that it is possible to engage with a sporting public that is seeking experiences and is not expecting to sacrifice time or exert effort to deepen knowledge or gain cultural insight. Interestingly, the study shows that careful event design, including concise language choice and a strict avoidance of technical vocabulary, results in the effective transmission of heritage information. The game participants were not geotourists, and yet displayed a good appetite for Earth science and cultural heritage knowledge. The study concluded that the sporting general public retained information about the geoheritage of the area, was open to participating in future Chablais UGGp events, and that they were interested in returning both to explore other aspects of the territory, and to visit in other seasons. The Chablais UGGp assessed the success and quality of the event and confirmed the relevance of a well-considered and layered geotourism strategy for territories with an UGGp label.

Service quality in ski resorts in Greece

Service quality in ski resorts in Greece