There are many environmental forces in the upcoming three years that will have an effect on the ski industry. I intend to look at the general and task environments under which these forces will have an impact on the ski industry.
When we look at the impact that general environmental forces have on the ski industry, there are several factors to be considered. New technology is having an effect on the industry and how ski areas are being run. As the importance of going “green” continues to be a major world focus, the ski industry is finding new and improved ways of operating ski areas. One of the newest is harnessing the wind to power ski lifts, as well as using solar power to light the facilities in the ski area. As technology continues to improve there will be more environmentally friendly and efficient ways to power lifts and the surrounding facilities.
Another change that is coming is the fact that many of the baby-boomers who have embraced the skiing industry are getting older and finding less and less time to ski. These are the people that, until recently, have shared in keeping the industry alive. A trend that has been taking over in the last decade or two, however, is snowboarding. Snowboarding, very realistically may have saved the ski industry in the early 1990’s. While the average age of skiers on the mountains today is 40 plus, seventy percent of the people on the mountains in Montana, are snowboarders (Jamison, 2010).
The Essay on Development In Ski Industry
The NH ski industry has been a part of my life since day one. I literally have grown up at the bottom of the slopes of Dartmouth Skidway. I have been a racer all my life and have for years had my fair share of extensively traveling NH mountains and sampling all that the NH ski industry has had to offer. It was not until recently that I have come to understand that my beloved ski mountains are also ...
Snowboarding is the choice of the younger generation and will help keep the industry alive for many years to come.
The economy and the recent recession, one would think, would have a major effect on the ski industry. The equipment, the travel, and the lift tickets to visit a ski area are expensive. It is not a “poor man’s sport.” To take a family to the mountains for a week could cost thousands of dollars. However; in a study of Montana ski resorts, the national recession is not deterring skiers and snowboarders to Montana’s winter resorts (Jamison, 2010).
The final, and most important true environmental force that affects the ski industry is the weather. It has been pointed out by global-warming researchers that some of the warmest winters have been in the last ten to fifteen years (Klein, 2002).
This trend has not changed much in the last nine years. “In North America, the gap between the first and last freeze is three weeks shorter than it was in 1970.” (Klein, 2002, pg 1).
In 2009, Barbara Green, president of Blue Sky Mountain Resort, stated, “climate change is going to decimate our industry” (Sweeney, 2009).
Later winters and earlier springs are having a definite affect on the resorts, which is shown through fewer skier days and fewer skiers. On the opposite side of this argument is the 2010-2011-ski season, which, due to an abundance of snow has seen skiers by the hordes and ski lodging reservations up (Fletcher, 2011).
Credited for this, the blessings of the snow gods. If there is natural snow, they will come.
When looking at the task environmental forces that affect the ski industry, we need to look at the suppliers, the customers, and the competition. The task environment has the most immediate and direct effect (Jones and George, 2011).
The Essay on Avalanches Avalanche Ski Snow
Avalanches are massive downward and outward movements of snow and ice as well as soil and rocks. Three main factors that determine whether avalanches are likely to occur are the weather, the snowpack, and the terrain. The weather is the most important factor in determining if an avalanche will occur, but the other two factors need to be taken into consideration as well. Since ninety percent of all ...
It is difficult to see the visible impact on the ski industry. When looking at the suppliers, there is plenty of competition when it comes to gear as well as lifts and other equipment that is necessary for this business. I do not see that changing in the next few years. In fact, there is new development of better equipment and machinery every day. As for the customers, those that love skiing and snowboarding will find a way to continue to enjoy the sport. The growing numbers in a stale economy is proof of that. Finally, there is the competition force. This force is in direct competition for the customers. The competition among ski areas will depend highly on the snow conditions, the package deals available, and travel expenses. Smaller areas such as Crested Butte Ski Resort have difficulty competing with the big, destination spots such as Vail Resorts. Crested Butte is a family owned ski area with a budget that cannot possibly compare to Vail’s. The bigger areas are often easier to get to, have more luxuries and conveniences, and have more deals to offer.
When looking at all the environmental forces that Crested Butte has to face, technology can only make them better. Improved lifts and machinery such as snow-cats make for a more efficiently run ski area. And although the baby boomers that love to ski are aging, there are up and coming skiers and, more importantly, snowboarders. The thrill of the ride may be changing but the crowds appear to still be coming, even in these difficult economic times. The forces that are having the most direct impact at this time are the weather, the competition, and the customers; all of which seem to impact each other. Competition and customers widely depend on the presence of natural, fresh snow. The earlier springs are affecting the late season skiing but the presence of so much fresh snow, this season, has seen visitor’s numbers up from previous years. If the snow continues to fall, the customers will find their way to the mountain. Crested Butte may never see the crowds of the Vails and the Breckenridges, but they will see enough crowds to sustain another season.
