Qualitative findings on marketing management practices from Greek ski centers

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to discover the extent to which the marketing practices of Greek ski centers take into consideration visitors' preferences and the interests of other stakeholders in order to improve their tourism product. The existing ski centers and destinations are crucial for the ongoing development of winter tourism in Greece.
Design/methodology/approach – The study is exploratory in nature and data were collected by carrying out semi-structured in-depth interviews with key managers in 14 ski centers in Greece.
Findings – The results revealed that the majority of ski centers do not have a marketing department and only a few receive consultation from consultants. Additionally many ski centers do not use specific planning or strategic tools, and about 20 percent of their directors are not in a position to identify and measure customer segments. Individuals who pursue recreation, skiers, and various associations are ski centers' most frequent customers. Finally, respondents have defined customer satisfaction to be of a high level in those ski centers that conduct customer research.
Research limitations/implications – This is a limited exploratory study restricted to one country. Suggestions are presented for future studies and especially for generalization of the findings.
Practical implications – Today's business environment requires the application of a robust, enterprise-wide plan at Greek ski centers and particular management practices should be explored as possible causes of the inadequate advancement of the tourism product at Greek ski centers.
Originality/value – This study offers empirical findings from ski centers in Greece, where studies are limited. It also broadly creates the need for future research about this particular area and in areas with similar tourism characteristics in the Mediterranean.