Posts tagged ski resort
Social Media Upends Ski Resort Marketing
02 years ago
by Eric Hoffman
in video
Hmm, some post title eh? Not really. It’s actually the title of an Ad Age video of Vail Resorts’ CEO Rob Katz speaking at the Cable Communicators forum in Denver a few weeks ago. It made some ripples through the online resort marketing community when it was published and Katz does make some solid points in the clip, but more than anything, I think that he’s mainly just acknowledging a global shift in marketing and advertising that is already well underway. While it’s encouraging to hear an industry leader in the ski resort business verbalizing this paradigm shift, as an interactive marketer, I would be concerned if he wasn’t saying these things. What do you think?
Welcome to my "Resort Marketing" blog. I hope that you will consider subscribing to my blog's feed or leaving a comment on this post. I look forward to seeing you again soon and thank you for visiting!
The Holidays and Ski Resorts
02 years ago
by Eric Hoffman
in article
How is it that the major winter holidays of Christmas and New Years come so darn early in the winter season? Why couldn’t they be in January or February so we could have a bit more time to get things really dialed in before we hit the busiest and most lucrative week of the season? I don’t think that there are many other businesses that have the same crunch to get things ready within such a short amount of time.
It’s even a double edged sword in that we have to fight off weather issues, it would have been a really ‘interesting’ Christmas here in Utah if we hadn’t gotten a 30 inch storm last week, and we also have to wait to get fully staffed up until we can get most of the mountain open, so much of our training is accomplished in a very short time frame.
Thankfully we have a great core group of year round and seasonal employees so that things really do work out for the best, but I can only imagine the difficulties that many of our managers face every year as they bring on staff and almost immediately have to prepare them for dealing with some of the busiest days of the entire season. In any case, it’s just how it goes in the ski resort business, any good stories about getting open during the busiest time of the season?! And, happy holidays everyone!
Photo Credit:
Inbound Marketing for Ski Resorts
62 years ago
by Eric Hoffman
in article
In my San Francisco Inbound Marketing Takeaway post, I noted that I was putting together some thoughts on how to leverage inbound marketing in the resort industry. Finally, over a month later, here it is!
Inbound marketing is essential for any business because the ski business is seasonal and the participants so passionate the opportunities are tremendous.
The content element of inbound marketing is an aspect that ski resorts can easily leverage. Most are already taking lots of photos and videos, the next step is to publish them to social sharing sites like Flickr and YouTube. Even better, give customers a way to publish their own content to a common channel that can be displayed on a page on the resorts’ website. For example, the photo above was taken by a guest at Park City Mountain Resort and tagged so that I could find it and insert it here via Creative Commons license rights.
Another technique is to use blogging and micro-blogging platforms to convey current conditions with more personalized information than is possible using snow report pages, emails or texts. Through the use of hashtags (the # sign) resorts can even leverage reports from guests and aggregate them in a common stream. Resorts should be sure to use these techniques to interact/engage with their customers as well as to direct them to useful and relevant content. In addition email should be integrated with these efforts and with segmentation and triggers it can really continue to personalize communications with customers.
Lastly, resorts should be very strategic in how they do Search Engine Optimization (SEO) on their web content and make sure that the keywords and phrases that they’re optimizing for are directly in line with their overall business strategies. By this, I mean that rather than optimizing for general terms like “ski resort” a resort should optimize for more specific items, like “best beginner terrain park”. They should also tag appropriate photos with this and create a video showing off their park – of course a blog post and some tweets linking back to this content this should be done as well to fully leverage the inbound marketing potential of this content.
These are just a few quick examples for resorts and I plan on drilling down further on more specifics on using networks like Flickr, Twitter and YouTube. Are there any additional social networks out there that you think are just ripe for use by ski resorts?!
Photo Credit: bgautrea
The Recession Claims a Resort – RIP Tamarack
33 years ago
by Eric Hoffman
in article
I first saw the news on Twitter this past Sunday that Tamarack Resort was finally hitting the end of their financing and having to shut down all operations as of the closing of their lifts today. Now that today has come, I find it very strange to browse through Tamarack’s website and while I see that they have done a good job of noting their closing throughout the site, they still have left all of their site’s content up aside from a couple of PDF links on their home page. I almost of feel like I’m going to an open casket viewing at a funeral…it’s a bit surreal.
Up until now, it has been interesting watching the impact of the current economic issues on the ski resort industry, surprisingly there are resorts that are having a banner year. However, it appears that most of the industry is off by a good chunk and is cutting where possible so that they can withstand what looks to be at least another year of lowered revenues. Personally, I’m fortunate to be working for a company that has it’s finances in control and isn’t burdened with mountains of debt like Tamarack was. Even so, it still hasn’t been smooth sailing as there were a number of people, including a co-worker in my department, let go just over a month ago.
In spite of this, I still think that the winter resort business is in good shape even as our economy bumps along. I know many people that have managed to carve out time and money to take their winter ski or snowboard trip even though it looked like it wouldn’t happen this year. The airfares that were through the roof to start the season have started to come back down. And, truth be told, there’s still nothing like hitting the slopes, whetherit’s an epic powder day or just a quick cruise around the mountain.
In the meantime, RIP Tamarck.
Ski Resorts on Twitter
713 years ago
by Eric Hoffman
in article
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sookie/ / CC BY 2.0
Here it is, a list of ski resorts that are ‘hanging out’ on Twitter! I’ll try to update it as more resorts create accounts and, if I’m missing any, please leave me a comment and I’ll add them. I also have a few destination marketing organizations included here, but I’m primarily interested in ski resorts for this list.
Enjoy!
Ski Resorts on Twitter
Updated: 01/09/10 Tweeters listed: 149Countries: 3 (for now!)
United States
AK
@resortalyeska Alyeska Resort
AZ
@AZSnowbowl Arizona Snowbowl
@SkiFlagstaff Ski Flagstaff
CA
@skialpine Alpine Meadows
@skiheavenly Heavenly
@skihomewood Homewood Mountain Resort
@MammothMountain Mammoth Mountain
@skisugarbowl Sugar Bowl
@Sierra_at_Tahoe Sierra at Tahoe
@skilaketahoe Lake Tahoe Ski Resort CMO (Thanks @Jenn)
@tskifeed Lake Tahoe Ski Feed (thanks @Smash)
@bearmountain Bear Mountain
@SquawValley1960 Squaw Valley
@NorthstarTahoe Northstar-at-Tahoe
@kirkwoodmtn Kirkwood (thanks @freshpow)
@borealmtn Boreal (thanks @Jodychurich)
@JuneMountain June Mountain
CO
@arapahoe_basin Arapahoe Basin (updated 6/23/09, thanks @martin001)
@WinterPark Winter Park
@steamboatinfo Steamboat (snow report feed)
@skisteamboat Steamboat (more of a ‘town’ account)
@aspensnowmass Aspen Snowmass (thanks @martin001)
@SilvertonMtn Silverton Mountain
@ColoradoSkiUSA Colorado Ski Country
@vailmtn Vail
@keystonemtn Keystone
@beavercreekmtn Beaver Creek
@breckenridgemtn Breckenridge
@monarchmountain Monarch Mountain
@skisunlight Ski Sunlight
@Telluride Telluride Ski Resort
@EldoraMtnResort Eldora Mountain Resort
@SkiPowderhorn Powderhorn Resort
@CopperMtn Copper Mountain
@LovelandSkiArea Loveland Ski Area
@skicrestedbutte Crested Butte Mountain Resort (thanks @Ryan Jordi)
@vailresortsnews Vail Resorts’ PR news account (thanks @Kelly)
@WolfCreekSki2 Wolf Creek Ski Area
@EchoMountain Echo Mountain
@GranbyRanch Granby Ranch
ID
@visitsunvalley Sun Valley CVB
@SkiIdaho Ski Idaho
@BOGUSBASIN Bogus Basin
@SilverMtnResort Silver Mountain Resort (thanks @martin001)
@SchweitzerID Schweitzer (thanks @martin001)
@skilookout Lookout Pass (thanks @mrtin001)
@BrundageMtn Brundage Mountain
@SunValleyResort Sun Valley Resort
MA
@SkiButternut Ski Butternut
@jiminypeak Jiminy Peak
@Wachusett Wachusett
@skinashoba Nashoba Valley Ski Area
ME
@sundayriver Sunday River
@sugarloafmaine Sugarloaf Mountain (thanks @Matt G)
@ShawneePeakME Shawnee Peak
MI
@crystalmountain Crystal Mountain
@boyne Boyne Mountain & Boyne Highlands (thanks @Erin)
@SkiSnowSnake Snow Snake Ski and Golf
@MtBrighton Mt Brighton
@ShantyCreek Shanty Creek Resorts
MN
@Welch_Village Welch Village
@hylandski Hyland Ski & Snowboard Area
@buckhillmn Buck Hill
@SkiGiantsRidge Giants Ridge
MT
@bridgerbowl Bridger Bowl
@moonlightbasin Moonlight Basin (thanks @KcMX)
@bigskyresort Big Sky Resort
@SkiWhitefish Whitefish Mountain Resort
NH
@loonmtn Loon Mountain
@skiwildcat Wildcat Mountain
@crotched Crotched Mountain
@bretton_woods Mount Washington Resort
@waterville Waterville Valley
@CranmoreMtn Cranmore Mountain
NJ
@mountaincreek Mountain Creek
NM
There are multiple accounts for NM ski resorts, but most have the same tweets – spam accounts IMO.
@RedRiverSkiArea Red River Ski Area
NV
@renotahoe Reno CVB (thanks Mike)
@diamondpeak Diamond Peak
@mtroseskitahoe Mt Rose
@LVSkiSnowboard Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard
NY
@windhammountain (thanks @Kirt)
@SkiWhiteface Whiteface
@holidayvalley Holiday Valley
@BelleayreBeast Belleayre Mountain
@huntermtn Hunter Mountain
NC
@skicataloochee Cataloochee Ski Area
OH
@BMBW Boston Mills & Brandywine Ski Resort
@SnowTrails Snow Trails
OR
@mtbachelor Mt Bachelor
@timberlinelodge Timberline (thanks @chaserules)
@skior Ski Oregon
@HoodooRec Hoodoo Mountain Resort
@skibowl Mt Hood Ski Bowl
PA
@skibluemountain Blue Mountain
@Bear_Creek Bear Creek Mountain
@whitetailresort Whitetail Resort
UT
@pcski Park City Mountain Resort
@thecanyons The Canyons
@skisolitude Solitude
@brightonresort @brightonparks Brighton (thanks @grant for @brightonparks)
@skiutahyeti SkiUtah
@SundanceUT Sundance Resort
@PowMow Powder Mountain
@SnowbirdSki Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort
@snowbasinresort Snowbasin
@XploreBrianHead Brian Head
VT
@okemomountain Okemo
@KillingtonMtn Killington Resort
@jaypeakresort Jay Peak Resort
@StoweMtResort Stowe Mountain Resort
@Sugarbush_VT Sugarbush
@mountsnow Mount Snow
@picomountain Pico Mountain
@ski_vermont Ski Vermont (thanks @jen_butson)
@skimadriverglen Mad River Glen (thanks @jen_butson)
@skimagicvt Magic Mountain (thanks @jen_butson)
@smugglers_notch Smuggler’s Notch (thanks @jen_butson)
@StrattonResort Stratton Mountain
@okemomountain Okemo Mountain Resort
WA
@mtspokane Mt Spokane
@mtbakerski Mt Baker Ski Area
@StevensPass Stevens Pass
@49degreesnorth 49° North Mountain Resort (thanks @martin001)
WV
@snowshoemtn Snowshoe Mountain
WY
@jhski Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
@SnowKingResort Snow King Resort
@jhupdates Jackson Hole
@Grand_Targhee Grand Targhee
Canada
BC
@grousemountain Grouse Mountain
@redresort Red Mountain (thanks @martin001)
@WhistlerBlckcmb Whistler Blackcomb
@skifernie Fernie Alpine Resort
@MountWashington Mount Washington Alpine Resort
@SunPeaksResort Sun Peaks Resort
@revelstokemtn Revelstoke Mountain Resort
@KickingHorseMtn Kicking Horse Mountain Resort
@PanoramaResort Panorama Mountain Resort(thanks @HolidaysCanada)
AB
@Real_Banff Banff/Lake Louise Tourism (thanks @Jenn)
@SkiLouise Lake Louise Ski Area
@SunshineVillage Sunshine Village (thanks @HolidaysCanada)
@marmotbasin Marmot Basin(thanks @HolidaysCanada)
@SkiBig3com Banff Area Resorts (thanks @mark)
QC
@MontTremblant Mont Tremblant (Tweeting in English and French!)
ON
@stokelycreek Stokely Creek Lodge (Thanks Justin!)
New Zealand
@mountruapehu Mt Ruapehu (thanks for the links Mike!)
@coronetpeak Coronet Peak
@cardronanz Cardrona Alpine Resort
@mthutt Mt Hutt
@theremarks The Remarkables
Photo Credit: Leo-setä
So, what's been going on for the past seven months?
03 years ago
by Eric Hoffman
in article
The ski resort business is seasonal. Sure, most resorts offer some summer activities, but the vast majority of our visitors come during the winter months of December through April. So it’s now been about seven months since a paying skier or snowboarder has gotten on a lift, and since then there have been quite a few changes in the world:
- The Dow Jones Industrial Average has dropped nearly 5,000 points, from nearly 13,000 to just above 8,000 – less money in consumer’s stock and retirement accounts.
- The median price of a home in the U.S. has dropped by about 9% – people feel less wealthy with declining home values.
- Average scheduled daily flight departures from the Salt Lake City Airport has dropped 32,852 from December 07 to December 08 – fewer opportunities for consumers to get to Park City.
- Cruise lines have added seven new large ships this year with around three quarter of a million passenger nights to fill between them all – another winter vacation option for consumers.
- Oil has risen to nearly $150 per barrel and then plummeted to about $50 per barrel – if driving is cheap again, will consumer fly?
These ingredients along with the general malaise in the country will almost assuredly cut down on the number of visitors that we see this winter. The Christmas/New Years Holiday, which is a real barometer for ski resorts, is just over a month away, and already some local lodging properties are starting to offer deals for this peak demand time. Yikes – only another month and we will know how what’s been going on for the past seven months will truly affect the ski resort business.
Photo credit: Me
Resorts and the Environment
03 years ago
by Eric Hoffman
in article
I thought this would be a topical subject as the corporate ownership of the resort I work for has just been given an award by the EPA for being a “Green Power Leader.” Now, I do think that our ownership/leadership fully understand that to have any chance of lasting as a viable business, winter resorts such as theirs, need to do whatever they can to reduce their carbon footprint as well as to educate their customers on what they can do to help counteract climate change.
I find the balance between what a ski resort can realistically change in their operations and what probably needs to change in our society quite interesting because without change in the current global trends in carbon emissions, the prospects for snowy winters 100 years down the road is quite dismal.
So, realistically how much can a ski company do? Well, committing up to 1% of revenue to promote energy efficiencies and alternatives is a good start. However, this probably is more than balanced out by all the energy needed to run the lifts, snowguns, lodges and snowcats that the resort needs to run. I think can be best summed up in what our Director of Environmental Affairs likes to say, “doing something is always better than doing nothing.” And with my personal saying (for the season) being, “you do what you can,” I think that while a ski resort could always be more environmentally friendly, ones that are trying to do what they can to to reduce their energy needs as well as educate their guests are doing more than just a simple greenwash.
Perhaps I’m just kidding myself, as this is the industry I work in and a sport I truly have a passion for, but I do feel much better working for the company I am with the environmental direction that they have taken.
A few mountain resort environmental links:
- www.saveoursnow.net – Park City Mountain Resort
- www.powdr.com/site/environmental-vision/index.html – POWDR Corp
- www.savesnow.org – Aspen/Snowmass
- green.jiminypeak.com – Jiminy Peak (love the turbine!)
