Winter sports enthusiasts and the challenges facing ski resorts as times change
Ruggell/FL, 5th November 2020 // As part of the ‘Best Ski Resort Awards’, the results of the latest ‘Best Ski Resort Survey’ were published on 5 November. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, this year’s event took place online. Zermatt was crowned the winner in the overall customer satisfaction rankings, virtually taking the top spot on the podium. Second place went to Val Gardena/Alpe di Siusi, followed by Arosa/Lenzerheide and Kronplatz, which tied for third place. The factor of guaranteed snow cover has seen the greatest increase in importance when choosing a holiday destination. In this category, Saas Fee came top for the fourth year running (1st place), followed by Obertauern (2nd) and Zermatt (3rd). In a country-by-country comparison, Italian ski resorts have made significant gains in recent years and are now ranked first by winter sports enthusiasts in the satisfaction rankings.
Fewer and fewer winter sports enthusiasts want to commit to a particular holiday destination and are keen to try out new ski resorts. This was not always the case: when the survey began eight years ago, 28.5% of winter visitors stated that it was their first time at the resort. That figure has now risen to 34%, and only 20% of them intend to return in the near future. Greater comparability of offers online, significantly shorter response times, as well as climate change and the resulting lack of snow in many places, are increasingly driving away the loyal regular visitor. This poses a major challenge for ski resorts, but also presents opportunities. This trend is not evident among families; if the children enjoy it, families are happy to stick with what they know.
Since 2012, the consultancy firm Mountain Management Consulting, in collaboration with the University of Innsbruck, has been conducting visitor surveys in 55 leading ski regions across the Alps – focusing on decision-making criteria and satisfaction across more than 20 categories. The survey takes place every two years and is carried out directly in the ski resorts. 225,000 winter sports enthusiasts have been surveyed since then. The immediate feedback is primarily used by the regions to help them develop further. However, the results also help skiers choose the winter sports destination best suited to their individual needs.
But even before deciding ‘where to go’, in this oh-so-strange year, we’ll be asking ourselves ‘is it even possible, and if so, how?’. Sentiment couldn’t be more mixed. Despite rising coronavirus case numbers, many people are still hoping for a winter holiday. The ski resorts, on the other hand, are doing their utmost to ensure that tourists don’t stay away as soon as they’re allowed to reopen: they’ve used the quieter early summer months to develop scenarios and plan measures based on the experience gained from summer operations. Following the sudden loss of Easter business, everything hinges on this season for many stakeholders, and you can really feel it. Alongside the standard rules, individual solutions have been sought to protect guests. “With expanded outdoor terraces, more serving points and pop-up restaurants, the plan is to significantly increase restaurant capacity,” reports Berno Stoffel, Director of Swiss Cableways. In South Tyrol, apps provide information on visitor numbers at the ski lifts “to avoid queues and crowds even more effectively”, says Wolfgang Toechterle, Managing Director of IDM South Tyrol. Florian Phleps, Managing Director of Tirol Werbung, has announced numerous testing facilities and screening stations in the ski resorts. Flexible policies regarding the cancellation of mountain railway tickets and accommodation are also set to apply this winter, and COVID-19 task forces have been set up in the ski resorts in case of an emergency. One thing is certain to be missing this year: the traditional après-ski. But even here, the ban will give rise to safe alternatives – and some regions will stand out as particularly creative.
Best Ski Resort – Trend analysis
A lot has changed since data collection began – even without the coronavirus. Among winter sports enthusiasts, more discerning leisure habits and new channels of communication are becoming apparent. Those who have seen a lot are better able to compare. Guests are becoming more critical and primarily share outstanding or negative experiences via social media. Priorities are shifting, and new criteria for choosing a holiday destination are coming to the fore. Although the size of the ski resort still ranks first (66.3%), this criterion – like, for example, the quality of the slopes (43.1%) and the comfort of transport (27.3%) – has become less important to guests; this is attributable to the fact that these aspects are now taken for granted. The desire for guaranteed snow cover (57.1%), on the other hand – a response to increasingly warmer winters – has risen very significantly (+7.7%).
Winter sports resorts have massively expanded their offerings and invested heavily to achieve this. These include mergers of ski areas, faster and greater transport capacity, the expansion of snow-making facilities, and much more. It is striking that some regions focus particularly on selected target groups – thereby successfully setting themselves apart from the fierce competition and presenting guests with a clearly recognisable brand profile: Serfauss-Fiss-Ladis consistently receives the highest ratings from families with children; Sulden has been synonymous with value for money since 2012; Ischgl is known for après-ski; and Laax is the mecca for fun and snowboard parks. They have all emerged as winners in their respective categories – across all five surveys conducted over the last eight years.
Up until 2018, a steady increase in overall satisfaction had been observed, but this declined slightly for the first time in the latest survey. One reason for this is the rising occupancy rates in regions with guaranteed snow. This is a trend that will continue to intensify due to climate change. The resulting high volume of visitors (so-called ‘overtourism’) is viewed critically by 36.3% of respondents. That is a 10 % increase compared with 2018! The regions will have to find ways to maintain visitor numbers at a balanced level and distribute skiers more evenly across the area.
Italy stands out as an exception to the downward trend observed between 2018 and 2020. Only the top-ranked country – which leads the cross-country comparison across all criteria in terms of overall satisfaction – shows a slight increase. And over the eight-year period, it has achieved a record figure of +5.8%. It is followed by Switzerland (+3.2%), France (+2.9%), Austria (+1.8%) and Germany (+0.3%). This naturally leads to the conclusion that Italy has made a particular effort to respond to guests’ changing needs over time.
Zermatt has been the big winner over the last eight years
A lot is changing, but one thing remains the same: guest satisfaction is the be-all and end-all for ski resorts. It is a feeling that does not necessarily stem from a competition of superlatives between destinations, but is largely shaped by impressions. And in this respect, Zermatt seems to be doing everything right: it has the highest average score across all five surveys (8.43 points; ahead of Serfauss-Fiss-Ladis on 8.3 and Kronplatz on 8.25) and, incidentally, the highest recommendation rate too!
Madonna di Campiglio has seen the biggest rise in popularity (+8.8%) over the past 10 years, followed by Zermatt (+7.6%) and Les Arcs (+7.3%).
Best Ski Resort 2020 – The TOP 10
The latest survey, involving a total of 39,795 guests, was launched at the end of December 2019 and ended as early as 15 March 2020 due to the closure caused by Covid-19. Zermatt (8.63) took first place in the overall 2020 customer satisfaction rankings, followed by Val Gardena/Alpe di Siusi (8.36) and Arosa/Lenzerheide, tied with Kronplatz (8.35) in third place. The remaining places were taken by St. Moritz, Alta Badia and Saas Fee, Serfauss-Fiss-Ladis, Gurgl and Ischgl.
The selection criteria assessed in detail
Perfect slope conditions
Although the trend is downwards, the size of the ski area remains the most important deciding factor when choosing a winter sports destination, at 66.3 %. As in the previous year, Alta Badia (130 piste kilometres/53 lifts) in South Tyrol proved particularly popular here, known not least for its connection to the Sella Ronda (500 PK/450 LA). The next places are taken by Zermatt (360 km of slopes/56 lifts), Laax (around 230 km of slopes/28 lifts), Serfauss-Fiss-Ladis (214 km of slopes/468 lifts) and Tignes (300 km of slopes/78 lifts). With the exception of Tignes, the actual size of the resort is reflected in the perceived satisfaction levels. In a country-by-country comparison of satisfaction scores in this category, Italy has overtaken France and recorded by far the largest increase (+6.6 %).
Snow reliability is becoming an increasingly important factor in the assessment. It has climbed to second place in terms of relevance, with 57.1%. Families in particular make it clear: “Without a snow guarantee, it’s a no-go!” The ranking for satisfaction in this category in 2020 was: Saas Fee (9.08 points), Obertauern (8.99), Zermatt (8.97), Stubai Glacier (8.95) and St. Moritz (8.94). However, according to those surveyed, the best piste quality is found in St. Moritz – ahead of Alta Badia, Zermatt, Kronplatz and Verbier. In a country-by-country comparison, Italy has seen a strong increase of +6.8% and has overtaken Switzerland at the top of the rankings.
Switzerland remains the undisputed number one in the category ‘ski school’. The top five are all from Switzerland and have been rewarded with very high satisfaction ratings: Zermatt (9.16), Laax (8.90), Adelboden-Lenk (8.81), Arosa-Lenzerheide (8.79) and Aletsch Arena (8.75).
Among other things, Austria was delighted to take first place in the ‘Transport Comfort’ category: Ischgl was rewarded with a score of 8.99 out of 10 for its substantial investment in service quality – particularly in transport.
And in the ‘Wellness’ category, too, one Austrian destination stands out in particular: Bad Kleinkirchheim/St. Oswald in Carinthia is the wellness oasis amongst the ski resorts in the Alpine region.
In Italian ski resorts, the desire for high-quality dining options on the slopes (22.9%) is particularly strong. Thanks to the highest satisfaction ratings in this category, Kronplatz in South Tyrol is once again entitled to bear the ‘Golden Haube’ this year. Alongside Michelin-starred chef Norbert Niederkofler, a host of passionate mountain hut owners here treat winter guests to excellent, mostly regional cuisine.
Value for money
Ski resorts are finding themselves forced to offset their investments in guaranteed snow cover and comfort through price increases. For many guests, however, it seems a limit has been reached on how much they are prepared to spend on a winter holiday. The value for money is a particularly important criterion when choosing a holiday destination, especially for families and respondents in the 12–19 and 20–34 age groups. Compared with 2018, satisfaction in this category has fallen again (from 6.98 to 6.93 points). Looking at this figure more closely, the rise in lift pass prices is drawing particular criticism (only 6.60 points). This is a trend that could have serious consequences for the future of winter sports resorts, particularly with regard to families: if skiing becomes too expensive for them, a generation with fewer skiers will grow up here. For the 5th year running, guests in Sulden am Ortler reported the best value for money. In the latest survey, Gurgl is tied with the Three Peaks (2nd place), followed by Livigno and Obereggen.
Happy kids – happy holidays
For families with children, this is of crucial importance: children’s sparkling eyes are the barometer of a successful holiday. And there is clearly one place where they shine particularly brightly. Since the survey began, Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis has been the undisputed leader! Kronplatz takes second place in the 2020 family satisfaction ranking, Arosa Lenzerheide third, followed by the Aletsch Arena (4th place) and Val Gardena/Alpe di Siusi (5th).
In a country-by-country comparison, Italy tops the list in terms of popularity with families – and has also seen the strongest growth in this category across all surveys (+9.9%)!
Experience nature in peace and quiet
But it is not only quantifiable data that determines the lasting impact of our holidays. Spectacular surroundings have a decisive influence on this perception, as does the degree of relaxation such a trip provides through tranquillity, cosiness and authenticity. These are factors that were also surveyed as part of the study, and in which Italy has once again climbed to the very top in a country-by-country comparison over the last eight years.
For an increasing number of people, experiencing nature is a key factor when choosing a holiday destination; this is presumably what has helped the Matterhorn in Zermatt to take first place and the Dolomites in Alta Badia to take second. These are followed by the Aletsch Arena – home to the most impressive glacier in the Alps – Val Gardena/Alpe di Siusi and Arosa/Lenzerheide.
And it seems that the experience of nature also has a direct impact on the sense of cosiness, as Zermatt ranks first here too, flanked by the other top-ranked destinations in this category: Sulden, Aletsch Arena, Val Gardena/Alpe di Siusi and Arosa Lenzerheide.
Equally important is the degree of peace and relaxation that winter visitors expect from their trip. This is a factor that may become even more significant this year, given the coronavirus and the new restrictions it has brought. The Aletsch Arena appears to be a place where there are no crowds and where you can recharge your batteries particularly well. As in the last survey, the car-free Valais region takes first place. This year, it is followed by Val Gardena/Alpe di Siusi, Zermatt, with St Moritz and Gurgl tied for third, and 3 Zinnen.
Best Ski Resort: Background and Methodology
Since winter 2012, around 225,000 skiers and snowboarders have been surveyed directly at the ski resorts as part of the Best Ski Resort Report. The survey is conducted on a randomised basis, with respondents completing the questionnaires under supervision. The predefined categories can be rated on a scale of 1 to 10.
The selection criteria for regions to take part in the study are the ski resort’s profile and size, its regional significance and the number of overnight stays. The total number of 55 ski resorts remains unchanged.
For the current study, 39,795 winter sports enthusiasts were surveyed during the 2019/2020 winter season.
Pressekontakt Deutschland
Carolin Schmid
C.C. SCHMID, Starnberg
Tel: +49 8151 55 65 404
ccs@ccschmid.com
Pressekontakt Österreich, Schweiz, Frankreich, Italien
Philipp Jochum
pro.media kommunikation gmbh, Innsbruck
Tel +43 512 214004 18
philipp.jochum@pro.media
Herausgeber der Studie:
Michael Partel
MOUNTAIN MANAGEMENT Consulting, Ruggell/FL
Tel +423 231 1331
mpartel@mountain-management.com