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Chamonix Mont-Blanc - Tourist strategy

Bernard PRUD'HOMME - General Manager of the Tourism Office, Chamonix Mont-Blanc, France

 

 

INTRODUCTION

There are currently more than 400 similar tourist destinations in the Alps.

It is important that each one defines a development strategy taking into account the destination's particular features, its prestige and its global offer.

In collaboration with the economic players in the resort, the drafting of a strategy requires research, analysis and agreement.

In this way it will have an influence on all the decisions taken in the resort (facilities, communication, etc.).

Let us take the example of Chamonix Mont Blanc :

• 250 years of tourist development (as shown by the town's architecture)
• international prestige (even if in South East Asia, Mont Blanc is a synonym for pen !)
• a equal number of tourists in summer and winter
• situated at the heart of the Alps
• and at the foot of the highest summit in western Europe

 

STRATEGY

Today tourists have many destinations to choose from and ask themselves why they should go to one resort rather than another. So the resort has to draw up guidelines based on its main competitive asset.

In Chamonix, analysis found that three types of strategy were viable, which focused on the :

• product
• client
• natural resources

Focusing on "Clients"

The vision: Promoting client loyalty (of sporting and wealthy clients for example) by offering all the services expected from a big resort. This "mono-clientele" is, of course, exclusive.

The competitive asset: the privileged relationship that has been developed and maintained with this exclusive clientele.

For example : Gstaad - here is a privileged relationship with wealthy and famous clients and those who identify with them. It was a strategy that Chamonix upheld between 1920 and 1936 before tourism became popular.

Focusing on "Natural Resources"

The vision: Possessing a Natural Resource, such as the Mont Blanc massif; the site, its history, the "Campagnie des Guides", the legend, etc. and exploiting it to the maximum.

The competitive asset : This is the quality of the natural resource.

For example : Zermatt and the Matterhorn.

 

NATURAL RESOURCE

Today the Mont Blanc massif has established itself as the valley's principal competitive asset. How can this asset be enhanced?

Focusing on the "Ski product"

The vision: meeting the need for easy skiing with large, well groomed pistes, minimum queues at ski lifts and with the possibility of skiing from the chalet to the ski lift.

The competitive asset: the best possible quality service and/or the best value for money

For example : the new Tarentaise resorts

1. By identifying those who find the valley most appealing :

• The self-centred (selfish) enthusiasts: these people will be the first group targeted by our communication strategy. They foster the valley's image and come from all age groups, all socio-professional categories and all nationalities
• Those who follow on (holiday clients): stay in the valley for the valley itself, for the Mont Blanc legend and to share in its importance, etc. They make up the majority of clients and are the most demanding in terms of services and quality (they provide most of our turnover)
• The excursionists: The come from all over the world to visit the site and for the feeling of adventure, etc.

  2. By enhancing the Resource

• Emphasising the mythical aspect of the mountain (identification possible outside of the resort)
• Capitalising on the history of the mountain and its ascent
• Diversifying communication strategy to appeal to the elitist part of each person (not to be confused with a communication strategy for the elite. For example Nike who appeal to the champion hiding in each person)
• Publicising new developments, which is vital to ensure that the "Chamonix" myth does not become a museum
• The brand image must be enhanced and we must find one or several heroes

  3. By measuring the risks of future development

• Both the visible and invisible adverse effects of the various practices on the natural resource (such as the consequences skiing in the forest and the pollution risk from industrial activity)
• Ecologically vulnerable areas
• The consequences of the tourist flow doubling in size before 2015 (according to the WTO)

For example : From a development point of view is it better to be at the heart of the main tourist circuits rather than on the outside ?

(It is interesting to note that yesterday Monsieur FRANGIALLI spoke of a 3 % tourist growth in the Old European countries).

 

DEVELOPMENT

• Awareness of the vulnerability of the resource and its subsequent tourist activity rapidly gives rise to many questions
• Is development that is compatible with the safeguarding of the natural resource sufficient ?
• What conditions are required to prevent the area from being transformed into a leisure park ?

We have noticed that mountaineers such as Paccard, Balmat, Mummery, Whymper and Croz, have gradually transformed these "damned peaks" into a "huge game park". The last thirty years have seen the area changed into an "area of freedom".

Will the natural resource in the future be merely the showpiece for a product that has become mundane ?

• Will relations between development and the natural resource bring about the cultural process for sustainable development as defined by Bernard Debarbieux?

Personally, I have my doubts. The issue concerning the transport of goods through the Alps can only be damaging to our resource. The importance of the institutions and the economy does not take into account the habitat's vulnerable nature.

• Does the market dictate the laws of development ?

The problem not only concerns the tourist economy but it also has a significant influence on resort planning. For example, because of periods of poor weak snowfall, our Swiss friends have invested heavily in researchinto the future of ski resorts located below 1200 m.

Over the last few years resort investment in snow canons has made the ski product less vulnerable and in some cases has even regenerated the glaciers.

• We should note that resorts currently lose their competitive asset when price becomes the most important factor in decision making. One only needs to look carefully at the ski brochures to see that cost and the tour operator's name is more important than any original feature that the resort may offer. In the future the direct relationship with the consumer will be enhanced by the Internet which be the promotional challenge of the future.

 

• Should policy go against the market at a time when, for our clients, the Alps represent pureness, harmony, equilibrium and well being ?

 

• Consequently, it is certain that the complexity of the implications weakens the concept of sustainable development and that the tools set up by Chamonix (strategy, resort project, "Espace Mont-Blanc", etc.) both to develop and protect the resource which can be used in the future, are still very poor in comparison with the importance of investors and the decisions taken over planning issues.

 

I hope that this year's Summits of Tourism will enlighten us on some of the major questions.

The issues concerning the increase in tourist flows and the evolution of products on the tourist economy will be studied next year.