Empirical testing of destination attribute preferences of women snow-sport tourists along a trajectory of participation

ABSTRACT

This study explored women snow-sport tourists’ destination attribute preferences in relation to their participation level (e.g. skill; sport career stage) through a complementary sequential mixed-methods approach. Initially, a model illustrating a trajectory of snow-sport participation, travel behavior and preferences was created through qualitative methods. This paper presents the quantitative testing of this proposed trajectory model and the associated destination attribute preferences. Enduring Involvement was used to quantitatively assess proposed stages of the snow-sport participation trajectory. Exploratory Factor Analysis revealed two dimensions in women's enduring involvement in snow-sports: ‘identity/centrality’ and ‘hedonism’. Additionally, three dimensions were found for destination attributes: ‘resort amenities and activities’, ‘snow-sport conditions and quality’, and ‘price’. A Multivariate Analysis of Variance showed that stages of the trajectory could be quantitatively verified. Analysis of Variance indicated that the importance placed on ‘resort amenities and activities’ decreased as women progressed along the trajectory. ‘Snow-sport conditions and quality’ was rated higher by more advanced skiers/snowboarders. ‘Price’ was rated highly along the trajectory stages.

KEYWORDS:

• Destination attributes
• enduring involvement
• women
• snow-sports tourism

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute (EFTI) for providing funding for data collection of this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributors

Mona Mirehie serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Tourism, Event and Sport Management in the School of Health and Human Sciences at IUPUI. Mona's research interests include sport tourism with a focus on active and event sport tourism, tourism and well-being, community events and well-being, and gender issues in tourism and recreational sports. Mona is a member of several professional organizations such as North American Society for Sport Management, Travel and Tourism Research Association, and The Academy of Leisure Sciences.

Heather Gibson is a Professor in the Department of Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management at the University of Florida. Her research interests include leisure, sport and tourism in mid and later life; women travelers; sport tourism with a focus on active sport-travel and small-scale events; and perceived risk. Dr. Gibson edited Sport Tourism: Concepts and Theories and co-edited Leisure and Aging: Theory and Practice. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Leisure Sciences and is Distinguished Teaching Fellow (University of Florida). She is Chief Managing Editor for Leisure Studies and an AE for the Journal of Sport & Tourism, and the Journal of Sport Management, and editorial board member of the World Leisure Journal.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.