ABSTRACT
Ski touring on groomed slopes is a relatively new outdoor sport that has steadily been gaining interest. So far, little scientific attention has been given to this outdoor activity. Thus, few questions have been asked about the motivation for practising this sport, and even fewer about whether the current COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on the frequency of and motivation for ski touring. For this reason, we conducted a large-scale study (n = 6802) in the Austrian Alps. Results revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic has not changed the motive structure for ski touring;however, the findings showed that many people have even started to practice this sport. This research note contributes to the existing knowledge by (a) documenting ski tourers' motives using a large sample, (b) giving insights into the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on this specific outdoor sport, and (c) showing COVID-19-related impacts on practicing ski touring. Management implications: center dot No changes in motivational reasons for ski touring due to COVID-19 pandemic. center dot Trend towards outdoor sports, especially ski tours on groomed slopes in the alpine region of central Europe. Amplification of the trend due to the pandemic and the associated restrictions. center dot As an outdoor sport, ski touring on groomed slopes offers versatile added value for ski tourers, but also huge potential for ropeway operators. center dot This soft slope tourism can also show alternatives to temporary ropeway closures in times of the COVID-19 pandemic and could also promote tourism (especially day tourism) in small circles at the regional level. center dot The increase in beginners naturally raises the question of whether this group needs special offers or how to deal with beginners on the slopes. On the other hand, this also raises the question of how to deal with the increase in ski slope users in general.
ABSTRACT
Ski touring on groomed slopes is a relatively new outdoor sport that has steadily been gaining interest. So far, little scientific attention has been given to this outdoor activity. Thus, few questions have been asked about the motivation for practising this sport, and even fewer about whether the current COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on the frequency of and motivation for ski touring. For this reason, we conducted a large-scale study (n = 6802) in the Austrian Alps. Results revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic has not changed the motive structure for ski touring;however, the findings showed that many people have even started to practice this sport. This research note contributes to the existing knowledge by (a) documenting ski tourers' motives using a large sample, (b) giving insights into the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on this specific outdoor sport, and (c) showing COVID-19-related impacts on practicing ski touring.
ABSTRACT
The link between sports and tourism has been widely researched. In this context, many studies have focused on sports event (SEs), finding that SEs provide a multitude of opportunities but also face many challenges at a local level. Despite the academic interest in the sports event tourism field, there is still little synthesis and no overview of research directions. Therefore, we proposed answering three research questions (RQs): What do we know today about the tourism perspectives of sports events? (RQ1);What are the main tourism implications of a sports event? (RQ2);What are the most and least investigated streams of research in this specific field of study? (RQ3). To answer these questions we conducted a systematized literature analysis including worldwide literature published between June 2000 and October 2020. Based on the findings, we provided insights into six clusters and their characteristics and highlighted major avenues to describe how SEs provide unique assets for tourism host destinations. Finally, we drew attention to important implications for future research, particularly in the context of the role of events for tourism recovery in the post-COVID-19 time. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
ABSTRACT
Social media sites are rich communication and marketing tools used by athletes to promote their "brand" and interact with fans. Indeed, the proliferation of social media has led to athletes promoting themselves across multiple platforms. This study examined how the world's top 10 professional alpine skiing athletes used social media to present themselves and engage with fans during the 2017-18 World Cup and 2018 Winter Olympic Games. The data for the latest Winter Olympic Games in 2022 (organized under changed circumstances because of COVID-19) were not available for this study at the time of finalization. Guided by self-presentation theory, this study used a content analysis to examine how athletes presented themselves in social media photographs. The results demonstrated that athletes employed similar posting patterns across the social media platforms (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram). The posting distribution per athlete and channel was different, as some athletes used the same posts across all channels. Twitter boasted the highest posting frequency. Based on the coded social media posts, athletes' self-presentation mainly focused on business life content. Thus, they appeared as dressed but posed, a finding that aligns with Goffman's notion of front-stage performance. This case study extends the literature as it involves an analysis of self-presentation across multiple channels, comparing two international events while using a sample of one sport.
ABSTRACT
Crises have the potential to stimulate change processes in companies and tourism destinations alike. The aim of this paper is to investigate the COVID-19 crisis as a potential driver of innovations in tourism. As case study ski areas in Lower Austria are used, which in contrast to many other alpine regions were open in the winter season 2020/21. A document and internet analysis as well as interviews with decision makers were conducted to get insights into the preparation, implementation and evaluation of specific measures in the winter season 2020/21. The high demand pressure from the metropolitan area of Vienna posed a particular challenge to decision makers. With online tools and a supra-regional concept, new forms of digitization, visitor management, customer loyalty and pricing could be tested. The experiences made with these new measures during the 2020/21 season could help to make the tourism industry more resilient towards external stressors.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to investigate differences in the frequency and types of engagement in sports before, during and after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) stay-at-home order in Tyrol, Austria. STUDY DESIGN: A representative population survey was conducted. METHODS: A sample of Tyroleans (N = 511) was questioned by a market research institute via an online questionnaire or telephone survey. RESULTS: During the stay-at-home order, participants engaged less in sports than before and after the restrictions. However, within-group analyses revealed increasing sport participation in less active groups when comparing the pre- and post-COVID-19 period. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the restrictions during the stay-at-home order, respondents did engage in sports and promoted their health. Nevertheless, it is still necessary to investigate the long-term effects of the COVID-19 crisis on sports and exercise behaviour as well as the extent to which sports policy measures may be able increase sports participation.