Here we are, in the midst of the energy crisis ocean. We “man the yardarms and run full speed ahead,” with little consideration as to whether it might not be necessary to fight the war alone. Each ski area or ski industry ship has formulated its own special energy-emergency plan.. and is out to win the battle single-handed, bringing the skier/customer to our snowy shores. Perhaps we’ve even aligned lodging, transportation and ski retail boats in our convoys. We’ll get the skiers this winter—even if no one else will—because we’re ORGANIZED!
But shouldn’t we take the time to look around us and determine if we might ally ourselves with other ships in the night whose interests are similar to our own? The parochial feeling that we’re the only convoy worth saving can be pervasive. Don’t let it be.
Let’s analyze where we might find assistance and partners for our efforts to promote skiing this winter.
All ski states have a vested interest in the health of the ski businesses operating within their borders. They consider skiing a notable portion of their winter tourism business. Skiing is a part-of-the-whole—a source of revenue (sales and other taxes) and employment, and is directly or indirectly related to such industries as transportation, housing, foodstuffs, manufacturing, services, etc. It’s generally the only major tourist activity in the state in the wintertime. Coincidentally, skiing occurs in locales where people are apt to frolic in summer as well.
Furthermore, it’s very visible. (Did the Lake Placid community bid for the Winter Olympic Games because the luge was such a draw? Or did visions of Franz Klammer on ABC Television dance through their heads? Isn’t it their hope that the visibility of the Olympics will revive interest in Lake Placid as a winter tourist destination?)
Most states which acknowledge the contribution of tourism to their economies often have a tourism bureau of some sort. The bureau develops programs designed to encourage visits to “Wonderful State, USA.” These can include advertising, brochures, maps, roadside information centers and, in the days of an energy crisis, might also include energy hotlines, energy availability reports and stepped-up publicity campaigns (Admittedly, the state tourism bureaus seem overly preoccupied with being “fair” to all attractions in the state–unless it’s our product they’re promoting. Then they become astute.)
Furthermore, most ski areas are members of a state or regional trade association which are as effective as their members allow them to be. Whether their function is perceived to be lobbying, marketing, publicity, trade shows and expositions or the centralized disseminator of industry information doesn’t matter. In this day and age they should be doing all of the above, with the full support of their members.
Besides ski industry associations, each tourism state possibly has a plethora of trade associations representing hotels and motels, dude ranches, Alpine Slides, national/state/amusement parks, snowmobile centers, campgrounds, convention centers, health spas, beaches and other recreational areas. They all have one thing in common: they want everyone in the country to spend days and nights using their facilities for the purpose of “renewing” themselves, or amusing the cousins visiting from New Jersey.
The point is, we aren’t the only folks currently worrying whether our guests will 1. get here, 2. do it easily and efficiently or 3. will decide to take the trip at all.
It will cost us some time, effort—and money—to reassure them that they can do all of the above. We’re probably all thinking in terms of contingency funds for promotion right now. So is everyone else who is concerned with winter travel. Why not pool those contingency funds into well thought out, joint promotion programs? Let’s get on the telephone and talk to our partners in travel the state tourism bureau, convention and visitors bureau, trade associations, transportation companies and the service industries which have a vested interest in our fiscal health. Set up a meeting in a central location to determine if there are ways we can all work together, including cooperative funding and staffing of specific programs.
New programs aren’t the only method of enhancing our promotional efforts. What about sharing existing facilities? If one entity has toll-free information lines in operation can they be subsidized and utilized to disseminate snow/energy availability/lodging/weather reports? Can a central news bureau compile and release periodic, timely stories on activities, snow conditions and travel news on behalf of all the participants? Can individual lobbyists get together to formalize joint efforts at the state capitals and legislatures with regard to legislation, fuel allocation, contingency advertising and promotion, the continued availability of fuel, personnel and vehicles for snow removal, the assurance of adequate public transportation from the gateway cities to the resorts? And so on.
Now more than ever our marketing efforts should become politicized. Along with our partners in travel, we should be compiling statistics that accurately indicate just how important our business is to the economy of our states and to related businesses. This information can be utilized in public information programs, testimony on legislation and in seeking out (justifying) cooperative monies. We should be working on programs demonstrably of benefit to all participants and, in the process, setting up the framework for joint, year-round efforts on behalf of local tourism. After all, it behooves us to return the favor to our partners; besides, many of us are in the summer or year-round business as well.
One thought: let’s be as accurate and factual as possible in the information we disseminate to the public. If you can’t get to Wonderful Mountain from Gateway City on Thursday, let them know ahead of time. Let’s not be so intent on convincing them that everything’s OK in Ski Destination USA that we fail to include the “bad news.” We’ll only fool them once.
We can set the stage by being honest with ourselves about our destination product. Then, continue by planning within the context of: 1. what’s easiest/best/most reasonable for our customers and 2. what makes sense for our co-op partners. If we stay within these guidelines, we’ll find that it works to our own benefit as well.
All aboard?
