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The "test" markets and tourism innovation : case study of the CDA/AFIT panel

 

  

THE INITIAL PROBLEM

The winter sports market is very much a niche market (around 10 % French), and in itself is very segmented (experience and skiing ability, destination…)… 

• « Conventional » study tools do not do it justice.

The winter sports market is seasonal (17 weeks), and varies during the season (no two weeks are the same) … 

• Studies reliant on service/product tests are difficult to implement. 

The winter sports market is one for which the decision to buy is usually taken as a group (generally families travel together) over quite some time (on average three months) compared to consumables…

• Studies on individuals questioned in resorts do not really grasp these two concepts.

The winter sports market operators are still not very focused (Cie des Alpes is the market leader with a turnover of 200 million Euros) and do not cooperate fully with studies (unlike other sectors such as the motor industry).

• Study budgets are quite small bearing in mind the complexity of the elements that need to be studied

REQUIREMENTS OF THE IDEAL TOOL

• Facility to only question skiers…   
• Facility to conduct interviews at any time…  
• Facility to conduct interviews with the « household »…  
• Facility to conduct interviews at home…  
• Facility to limit the cost of the studies…  
• Facility to share the cost of the base tool…

 

THE SKI NATIONAL PANEL

• In 1998, at the request of Cie des Alpes, Contours devised and set up a panel of 2200 alpine skier households, all potential customers of the large alpine resorts. 
• In 1999, at the request of the AFIT and the SEATM, Contours broadened this panel to include 800 householders who visit all the French mountain ranges, irrespective of whether or not they are alpine skiers.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AFIT/SEATM PANELISTS

• A representative geographical cross-section of the skiing fraternity amongst the French population (based on SEATM estimates). 
• 75 % of the panellists have at least one child in their household (average is 2 children). 
• 30 % 35 to 44 years of age, 40 % over 45 years of age (the average age for women was slightly lower).
• 65 % of the panellist householders were likely to visit the main ski resorts.  
• 86% of men go alpine skiing, 28% go cross-country skiing, 17 % go tobogganing, and 11% go snowboarding…
• 37 % of householders are very good skiers,
  32 % are moderately good and
  25 % are poor skiers/beginners.
  (the skiing ability of women was correspondingly less).
• Nearly a third of householders leave behind at least one family member when they go away skiing.

 

WAVES OF INTERVIEWS

PROGRESSIVELY WHITTLING DOWN THE PANEL

• Between each wave of interviews, the panel decreased in number by about 15 %.
• The households that travelled the most were the ones that disappeared the quickest (the young and those from the Paris region).
  • The panel must have a regular influx of new members
    (an operation is underway at present to recruit 1000 new panellists).

CONDITIONS FOR A WAVE OF INTERVIEWS

• Interviews can be conducted at any time (excluding school holiday periods).
• The standard time allowed for completing a wave of interviews is three months made up as follows :
  • Developping questionnaire.
  • Testing questionnaire and conducting interviews on site.
  • Processing and interpreting results.Mise au point du questionnaire.

SUBJECTS COVERED ON BEHALF OF THE CDA

• Amount of skiing (desired and actual).
• Criteria for choosing a ski resort.
• Knowledge of all-inclusive skiing prices.
• Budget of the skier.
• Testing new CDA « children » offers.
• Initial plans for the year 2000.
• Interest in the La Plagne and Les Arcs collaboration.
• Profile of « frequent skiers  » and how their holidays are structured.
• Analysing the downsides and advantages of 7th day skiing.
• Testing a CDA loyalty card.
• Testing a CDA « frequent skiers » product.
• Senior citizen skiing.
• Skiing frequency of the panellists, the mountains and resorts visited… (guidelines).
• Snow activities of family members (husband, wife, children…).
• Skiing lessons for children.
• Skiing instructions for children.
• Budget of the skier (developing CDA study).

 

AFIT/SEATM NATIONAL SKI PANEL « CLIENTS »

• ADT Savoie/Haute Savoie : booking skiing holidays.
• SNTF : image of skiing in springtime.
• FIFAS : ski clothing market.
• Salomon : ski footware market.
• Rémy Loisirs : ski locations.
• Vallée de l’Ubaye : image of the Southern Alps.

PANEL FAMILY USAGE

Understanding the market :

• Analysing consumer behaviour.
• Assessing skiing-related markets.
• Studying image.   

Testing for innovation :

• Testing new products/services.
• Analysing decision-making processes.  

COST MANAGEMENT TERMS

• One subject is on average covered by five to ten direct questions given to around 2000 households.
• These direct questions are crossed with twenty or so variables available for each panellist household.
• The average budget equates to approximately 60,000 francs.