What is the meaning / definition of Ski Resort in the hospitality industry?
Ski Resorts are towns and villages in winter sports areas, offering support services for skiing and snowboarding such as lodging (e.g. boutique hotels, B&Bs, chalets), equipment rental, ski schools and ski lifts.
Ski Resorts can be in/near towns or villages located in proximity to the ski area (mountains, pistes, ski trails, ski lift system) or they can be located in ski areas situated away from towns. In that case, a Ski Resort is purpose-built where skiing is the main activity and is a so-called fully self-contained ‘destination resort’ (the resort is a destination itself).
Some Ski Resorts are built on the slopes themselves, with ski-in/-out access allowing guests to ski right up to the door.
Ski Resorts often offer other activities and facilities, like snowmobiling, sledding, horse-drawn sleds, dog-sledding, ice-skating, indoor or outdoor swimming, hot tubbing, game rooms, clubs, cinema, theatres and cabarets. An important form of entertainment in Ski Resorts is après-ski – a gathering of skiers at bars after the day on the pistes (often while still wearing their ski gear). Entertainment is an important booking factor since guests are commonly browsing for an après-ski offer when searching for Ski Resorts.
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