Securing Quality, Better Managing Guests, Meeting Expectations
Mike Partel emphasized: "The results of our survey* show that after years of increasing overall satisfaction, we are observing a decline in this trend over the last five years in the top ski resorts of the Alpine region. Furthermore, the Net Promoter Score (NPS) is stagnating. Both are directly linked to the perceived value for money. This makes it even more important to sharpen positioning, consistently highlight the differentiation from other ski resorts, and strengthen the brand with its promise of quality as a success factor." Hubert Siller added: "Winter holidays in the mountains are strongly driven by recommendations from its 'experts,' i.e., those particularly loyal guests. Among holidaymakers who regularly travel to the mountains, the recommendation rate is nearly 70 percent, and there are only a few critics. Among winter holiday newcomers, however, it barely reaches more than 40 percent. We must therefore ensure that we also inspire the younger generation for winter holidays." For Kurt Matzler, it is clear: "Overtourism is no longer a fringe issue. Digital systems are needed to manage visitor flows and incentives to decongest the rush both temporally and spatially – up to and including limitations on peak days to secure quality and reduce waiting times.
Another focus was on the topic of "Artificial Intelligence": AI supports online marketing with precise targeting – i.e., the targeted approach to a specific target group based on relevant characteristics – and personalizes communication along the "Guest Journey," i.e., the guest's trip from the first idea to after the stay. Furthermore, AI improves digital guest support – this is already common practice in Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis. According to Lukas Heymich, the basic prerequisite for using AI is a clear guest profile and seamless cooperation among all stakeholders. According to Selina Gull, part of the success formula of Zermatt Tourism, in addition to the impressive Matterhorn, is the years of close cooperation within the destination organization. "The exchange is organized via strategic committees – with representatives from all areas. That helps us steer the region into the future together," said Gull.
Inspiring Families, Empowering Teams, Shaping the Future
How do you get families, and especially children, onto skis early when the small ski areas nearby are closing? The large-scale initiative "KIDS ON SKI" shows one possibility for promoting winter sports in the Alpine region. Through the program initiated by Mountain Management Consulting and supported by sponsors and winter sports destinations, ski resorts in Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and Germany annually offer the experience of skiing to 200 young speedsters aged 3 to 5. A free all-inclusive package can be booked for the child, consisting of a five-day half-day ski course, rental equipment, lift ticket, and accommodation (in the parents' room).
For Berno Stoffel and Jürg Schmid, the success of a ski resort depends not only on the young guests but also on the employees of a region. According to Schmid, their passion is important. This leads to friendliness, which in turn is the most important evaluation criterion for guests: "Tourism has always been about the experience of our guests, and the most effective way to customer loyalty is to create experiences that become memories."
