“A Look Into The Future" Conference Hosted By Mountain Management Consulting,
How can winter tourism remain sustainable in times of rapid change? At the recent expert meeting "A Look into the Future" hosted by Mountain Management Consulting, leading figures from the tourism, mountain railway, and academia discussed the industry's major issues: current situation and trends, quality despite mass, expectations of premium destinations, family offerings of tomorrow, and the future demands on organizations and teams.
The winter sports industry is at a turning point: increasing guest flows, changing expectations, digital disruption, and the need to ensure quality without compromise. Moderated by Kathi Hager, renowned voices from the Alpine region brought concrete perspectives and forward-looking solutions to the fore. The industry can achieve the balance between growth and quality in the long term – through clear positioning, bold digitalization, and an organization that brings together people, data, and processes. On the panel: Mike Partel (Managing Director of Mountain Management Consulting and initiator of the expert talk), Prof. Hubert Siller (Head of MCI Tourism), Bruno Felicetti (CEO of Madonna di Campiglio), Lukas Heymich (Chairman of the Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis Tourist Board), Selina Gull (Head of Marketing at Zermatt Tourism), and Benny Pregenzer (Consultant, former CEO of Bergbahnen Fiss). Joining us online: Marius Streb (CEO Lumifai & AI expert), Berno Stoffel (CEO Cable Cars Switzerland), Kurt Matzler (Strategy Professor at the University of Innsbruck) and Jürg Schmid (Schmid&Pelli Consultant, former CEO of Switzerland Tourism).
Ensure quality, manage guests better, meet expectations
Mike Partel emphasized: "The results of our survey* show that after years of increasing overall satisfaction, we can observe that this has declined in the top ski resorts in the Alpine region over the past five years. Furthermore, the positive customer satisfaction rate (NPS) is stagnating. Both are directly related to the perceived value for money. This makes it all the more important to sharpen the positioning, consistently emphasize 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 rely heavily on recommendations from their 'experts,' i.e., those particularly loyal guests. Among holidaymakers who regularly go to the mountains, the recommendation rate is almost 70 percent, and there are only a few critics. Among winter holiday newcomers, on the other hand, it barely exceeds 40 percent. We must therefore ensure that we also inspire the younger generation to enjoy winter holidays." For Kurt Matzler, one thing is clear: "Overtourism is no longer a marginal issue. Digital systems are needed to manage visitor flows and incentives to spread the rush out over time and space—including restrictions on peak days to ensure quality and reduce waiting times."
Another focus was on the topic of "artificial intelligence": AI supports online marketing with precise targeting – i.e., addressing a specific target group based on relevant characteristics – and personalizes communication along the "guest journey," i.e., the journey of a guest from the initial idea to after the stay. Furthermore, AI improves digital guest service – this is already common practice in Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis. According to Lukas Heymich, the basic prerequisite for using AI is a clear guest image and smooth interaction between all stakeholders. According to Selina Gull, part of Zermatt Tourism's recipe for success, in addition to the imposing Matterhorn, is the years of close cooperation within the destination organization. "The exchange is organized through strategic committees – with representatives from all areas. This helps us to steer the region together into the future," says Gull.
Inspire families, empower teams, shape the future
How do you get families, and especially children, on the slopes early when the smaller ski resorts nearby are closing? One possibility is the large-scale "KIDS ON SKI" initiative to promote winter sports in the Alpine region. Through this program, initiated by Mountain Management and supported by sponsors and winter sports destinations, ski resorts in Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and Germany each offer the skiing experience to 200 young skiers aged 3 to 5 each year. A free, all-inclusive package can be booked for the child, consisting of a five-day half-day ski course, rental equipment, lift pass, and accommodation (in the parents' room).
For Berno Stoffel and Jürg Schmid, the success of a ski resort depends not only on its young guests, but also on the region's employees. According to Schmid, their passion is crucial. 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 build customer loyalty is to create experiences that become memories."
* Source: Best Winter Resort of the Alps 2023: On-Mountain Survey in 54 Top Destinations
