Increasing attendance is crucial for the livelihood of ski resorts. With out customers the resorts would not operate. In order to determine the factors that drive attendance in ski resorts it is necessary to use data from previous years to see which variables drive attendance. The approach used to identify the variables involved a dynamic demand function, and an estimation of the effect of these variables using an Ordinary Least Squares regression model. The data used in this study originated from Ski Industries America, and private information obtained from an inside source. The results of the study suggest that there are steps that resorts can take to increase attendance. The most significant variables price, acres, vertical drop, and snowfall. The magnitude of the four aforementioned coefficients is large relative to the others in the model.
Our planet is getting warmer, we have seen the economy tank to levels previously thought impossible and because of this the future of the ski industry is in jeopardy. How are ski resorts supposed to attract visitors year after year when there is less and less to ski? What could convince a financially struggling vacationer that a ski resort is superior to any other possible destination? Some suggest that diversification is the key. By building attractions that are independent of snow, a resort ensures that its guests have ways to occupy themselves when the skiing isn't as good. Those same attractions add value to the resort and make it a more attractive vacation destination. This thesis utilizes statistical regressions to analyze data collected from surveys conducted by the National Ski Areas Association. The purpose of this analysis is to address the question of whether or not the diversification of individual ski resorts in the United States can protect them from the harmful effects of a warming climate and an unstable economy.
Global climate change is quite possibly the most serious challenge that faces us today. Consumers and businesses alike are thinking more seriously about their environmental impact and what they can do to reduce their carbon footprint. One industry uniquely tied to the environment and concerned with its well-being is the ski industry and one way to achieve this reduction is through carbon offsets. Using data collected through a contingent valuation study regarding consumer behavior, this thesis analyzes the factors that affect consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for carbon offsets in the ski industry. The study finds that age, gender, and climate knowledge are highly influential on WTP, and that the use of tax credits as an incentive provides the greatest increase in consumer WTP.
According to recent ski industry research, skiing is, at best, stagnant. At worst, it is doomed for a collapse in the next few decades because of its primary demographic, the baby boomers, will no longer be participating in the sport. Also, with the current economic crisis that we are facing, some ski areas have already felt major effects and are on the brink of failure. In this competitive market environment, ski destination success depends strongly on a thorough analysis of customer satisfaction. Ski area managers need to identify the drivers of customer satisfaction, measure satisfaction levels, and derive the right strategies to increase satisfaction. Many ski resorts monitor customer satisfaction regularly using on-mountain surveys. Using regression analysis from surveys conducted by the National Ski Area Association for the 2008/2009 ski season, this thesis will investigate the demographic determinants associated with skier satisfaction.
