Drowling Mountain Ski Resort - Essay Example

?A CASE STUDY ON THE DROWLING MOUNTAINS SKI RESORT: BUSINESS RECOMMENDATIONS The sport tourism industry involves a highly dynamic interaction of numerous aspects – socio-cultural, geographical, economic, ecological, and political as well as market trends. In order to present comprehensive, well-informed and judicious recommendations regarding the issues at hand in Drowling Mountain Ski Resort, I must first focus on the present statistical and financial dynamics of the current snow sport tourism and snow games industry. In the recent past, tourism, particularly, snow tourism has attracted widespread business interests, its central attraction lying mainly in its combination of beauty, adventure sports and entertainment. The economic centrality of snow tourism has seen significant growth in the past few decades (Hudson 1). However, though the last 3 years have seen substantial growth in the Skiing and snow gaming industry of the United States, it is indeed a tough area of business with stiff competition and a number of variables that make the Drowling Mountain Ski Resort case rather a tricky one. Analysis of the Data As stated in the case report, there are certain demographic as well as ecological and climatic factors that have the potential to favorably or inversely affect the economic output of the ski industry. The demographic data presented show a rather restricted reach of the business. While, snow sport enthusiasts are steadily on the rise, there are however, more aspects involved in the resort industry, in particular. Children below a certain age, are, obviously exempt from attempting the sport, as are the elderly. Acclimatization is also an important issue in any snow sport, which may not be easy for everyone. Thus, the target demographic is rather limited, which invariably raises the stakes for companies like Drowling Mountain Resort as new and more innovative business ventures come into the market. By the very virtue of its nature, a ski resort must be well stocked in ski equipments and related sport goods, which is a huge investment given the seasonal relativity (four to five months) of its potential financial profits. The Drowling Mountain Ski Resort is located in Syracuse, New York. The prime business season for this particular resort ranges mainly from March to December. The 2008-09 figures show that an approximate 4 million people came to New York during the skiing season to enjoy the trills of the sport, which is more or less similar to previous statistics. However, it must be kept in mind that there are around 34 ski resorts to choose from and Drowling Mountains Resort fairs poorly in certain aspects that have caused business troubles for the Board of Directors in the past. Recommendations for Improvement The major problem of course is the relatively secluded location of the resort compared to the larger, more populated cities. Syracuse is nearly five hours away from New York, and two hours from Albany. In addition to this, the Drowling Mountain resort must face the problem of low populations within the state. This decreases the opportunity of securing new clientele as well as lacking a healthy number of steady client bases. While it had a respectable position and a high esteem among its clients previously, it has seen a steady decline in its popularity in the past 10 years. The economic crash in the recent years had dealt its final blow and left the Board of Directors struggling to find financing. The proposed hike in ticket sales, though indeed a positive initiative, can hardly be enough to turn the company around entirely. I think, good and cleverly targeted positive advertising would be an essential requirement of the moment. The initiation should be targeted at young and athletic groups like sponsoring skiing lessons in collaboration with the local high school, or offer limited period discounts for children’s outings arranged by the school. This would create a renewed interest in the resort. One of the primary advantages of the Devil’s Hill resort over the Drowling Mountain is in the technical ease and simple operation of its sport equipments. The latter is not equipped to accommodate all levels of skiers and snow boarders. Beginners, for instance, would choose Devil’s Hill over Drowling Mountain. Mr. Cartier must initiate a change in the business approach and offer better instructional opportunities through the addition of a Beginner’s Package. Since, a resort is more than the sports it offers, the offer of better amenities would be a huge positive point. In order to maintain a competitive edge over its most stringent competitor, certain new features could be added to the resort. An open hot spa and massage parlor, I believe, has the potential to generate steady revenue on its own, and fully recompense the investment. This would have provided a year-round interest independent of the seasonal aspect generally associated with ski resorts. Local people could come for a spa or a massage treatment any time of the year. In addition, I think, a cultivation of various related sports to the snow tourism industry, though strategically held camps and lesson session would be highly beneficial. Attractive packages targeted for young enthusiasts will generate good profits. Since, snow tourism also involves a romantic aspect, well-integrated honeymoon packages will be very popular as well. Innovative skiing camps and snow sports instruction lessons should be arranged during the skiing season to attract clients from the neighboring cities as well as the local areas. During the summer, rock-climbing lessons and trips can be offered as package deals in order to expand the areas of business venture. The recreational facilities offered in other high-end skiing resorts cannot be matched by Drowling Mountain Resort unless the quality of service is improved. An experienced and polite staff is always indispensable assets in the tourism industry. Conclusion After analyzing the various figures, statistics and a thorough study of the data provided on the three rival companies, as presented the case report, it is my conclusion that an overall marketing makeover has the potential to change the face of the Drowling Mountain Resort. The current figures indicate an increasing interest in the field of snow tourism. The best course of action, thus, should be one that exploits the opportunities presented by such a rise in interest. While the competition is steep and the inventiveness of business strategies must necessarily be restricted mostly by the involved factors of demographic, geographical and seasonal challenges, the previously mentioned recommendations, I believe, will initiate a positive change in the business. Reference Hudson, Simon. Snow Business: A Study of the International Ski Industry. New York: Cassell . 2000. Print. Read More