PLYMOUTH STATE UNIVERSITY

The motivations in choosing a specific ski resort-Place Attachment and Destination Attachment-

Marina Plopeanu

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Abstract

The purpose of this research project is to discover the reasoning behind why

people choose the ski resorts that they do. The main theory that is being used in this

research is the theory of place attachment. The study focused on three ski resorts in in

New Hampshire: Waterville Valley, Loon Mountain Ski Area, and Cannon. A

questionnaire was created on Survey Monkey and was distributed both online and in

person which asked about preference of ski resorts. Participants stated that the main

reasons they choose a certain ski resort was because of the features of the mountain,

price, proximity, the amenities in the area and friends’ recommendations. Place

attachment was not a main theory that was found throughout this research. The results

have shown that the level of education, age, income, and family tradition are the factors

that have the most influencing straight of place attachment.

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Table of Contents

Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………2

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………..4

Literature Review……………………………………………………………………….....4

Research Methods……………………………………………………………………..…..7

Sampling…………………………………………………………………………………..8

Analysis…………………………………………………………………………………....8

Research Questions Results:

* Q1: What demographic variables are related to place

attachment?........................8

* Q2: What are the motivations in choosing a certain ski resort in

NH?...................9

* Q3: Is place attachment an important factor in choosing a

resort?........................11

Conclusions……………………………………………………………………………....13

References…………………………………………………………………………..……14

Appendices……………………………………………………………………………….16

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Introduction

The purpose of this research is to find out what are the motivations for choosing a

ski resort in New Hampshire, and if place attachment is one off the reasons. Place

attachment refers to the emotional and symbolic relationship that individuals form with

recreational resources. This paper aims to identify different types of visitors and explore

the demographic variables that are related to place attachment. As tourism resorts

become increasingly diverse, it is important to understand what factors influence the

decision making in choosing a certain tourist destination. The final goal is to examine if

place attachment is an important factor in choosing a ski resort in New Hampshire.

Studying the development of place attachment is important for resort marketers

and managers in their effort to develop customer’s behavior and attitudinal loyalty (Kyle,

Graefe, Manning & Bacon, 2003). In the ski industry “differing motivations and changes

in demand are evident” (Phillips & Brunt, 2013, p. 220) and that’s why a better

understanding of the factors that influence participation is necessary to secure the future

of the industry.

Literature Review

In recent leisure and tourism literature, the concept of place attachment has been used to

understand the ski tourist’s behavior. It has been shown that individual’s emotional and

functional attachment to a specific recreational place is related to a variety of behavioral

outcomes, such as satisfaction levels, recreation specialization, leisure participation

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patterns, perceived crowding, and behavioral loyalty (Alexandris, Kouthouris &

Melighis, 2006).

Place attachment has been included in a variety of decision making models, and has been

linked with concepts, such as activity and tourism involvement, and destination

attachment.

Leisure researchers have been using the theory of place attachment for over two

decades. They have tried to perfect our understanding of certain leisure behaviors and

conceptualize how people identify with a particular environmental setting (Kyle, Graefe,

Manning & Bacon, 2003). Bell talks about the culture of leisure: “Much of what tourists

travel for is the look of a place and the occasion (or excuse) that look provides for what

we must see as the culture of leisure” (Bell, 2009, p. 202)

People establish an emotional attachment to a particular landscape that constitutes

a unique “sense of place” (Eisenhauer, Krannich & Blahna, 2000). Studies of place

attachment often focus on one’s connection to a specific or special physical place. An

example of related research is Mitchell, Force, and McLaughlin’s (1993) study of

emotional attachments to places. The study identifies different types of visitors and

tourists that have different levels of place attachment. Facilities and activities available in

resort can influence the decision-making. In addition, Phillips and Brunt (2013) argued

that there is no single tourist type; therefore, it is mistaken to group them as a similar

entity. To successfully create a more accurate classification, typologies need to be

specific and classify the tourists of a particular destination, activity, or type of tourism.

For this research, Mitchell et al. (1993) explained best the emotional attachment

between recreation visitors and a specific ski resort. In order to describe the

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differentiation between visitor’s relationships with their environment, it will helpful to

develop a two-level typology: use-orientated visitors and emotionally attached-oriented

visitors. The use-orientated visitors “expressed the importance of the environment in

relation to the activities pursued and the experiences delivered from their activities”

(Mitchell et al., 1993, p. 33). The attached-oriented visitors expressed an “emotional

bond to the place” (Mitchell et al., 1993, p. 33).

Place attachment has received less focus in the context of ski resorts. Studying the

development of place attachment is important for resort marketers and managers in their

effort to develop customer’s behavior and attitudinal loyalty (Kyle et al., 2003). In the ski

industry “differing motivations and changes in demand are evident” (Phillips & Brunt,

2013, p. 220) and that’s why a better understanding of the factors that influence

participation is necessary to secure the future of the industry.

The term attachment is used to denote the complex attitudes and behaviors that

may be associated with an affective bond with one’s neighborhood. Place attachment is

defined as an individual’s commitment to their neighborhoods and neighbors (Giuliani,

2003). Attachment to place is considered a fundamental human need (Giuliani, 2003

apud Relph, 1976). The notion of place attachment emerged in 1974 when Yi-Fu Tuan

expressed an interest in the affective aspect of the relationship with geographic space. He

was the first one that asserted that “place” has meaning. A human’s emotional attachment

to a geographic space is what makes it a significant place. The sense of place is the

emotional attachment based on an appreciation for the land that goes beyond its use value

(Eisenhauer el al, 2000). The purpose of this research is to find how place attachments

are created in ski tourists.

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It has become increasingly popular to travel in order to participate in sports

tourism. Some important motivational concepts that influence destination choice might

be related to having fun, excitement, and sense of achievement. Scholars argue that the

primary motivations for involvement in leisure recreational activities are needs based,

with the tourist achieving a sense of belonging, fulfillment or satisfaction by participating

in such activities (Philips and Brunt, 2013).

The participation of tourists in winter sports can be justified by Maslow’s

paradigm of Hierarchy of Needs (1970). Maslow stated that people are motivated to

achieve certain needs. Being engaged in winter sports can be seen as the achievement of

the fifth stage: Self-Actualization, which is realizing personal potential, self-fulfillment,

seeking personal growth and peak experiences (Maslow, 1970).

Finally, when we talk about the motivations in choosing a certain ski resort, we

also talk about destination attachment. Destination attractiveness is significantly and

positively related to place attachment (Hou, Lin, and Morais, 2005). Tourists may

develop attachment to a destination because of its “ability in fulfilling specific goals or

activity needs and/or because of its symbolic meaning and thus, attachment could be an

important measure of tourist satisfaction and loyalty” (Yuksel, 2009, Abstract).

Studies have shown that it is possible to investigate the contribution of place

attachment to predict customer loyalty and also examine the influence of service quality

in the development of place attachment. The interaction and the physical environment

dimensions of service quality help predict place identity and place attachment.

Research methods

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The study focused on three ski resorts in the White Mountains: Waterville Valley,

Loon Mountain Ski Area, and Cannon, but it was not limited to those. The data was

collected over the course of three weeks. A total of 84 (n=84) recreational skiers and

snowboarders participated in the study. Using Survey Monkey a questionnaire was

created and it was distributed in person and online on different social media pages.

The survey primarily includes Likert scale items (strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree,

and strongly disagree) and multiple-choice questions. The analysis was conducted using

SPSS.

This study documents the reasons why these ski resorts are considered special,

and examines the connection between the activities done at special places and the reasons

the resorts are considered special places (Eisenhauer, Krannich & Blahna, 2000).

Sampling

The sampling method was not a strict probability method, it falls under the

category of an accidental, haphazard or convenience sampling and it is the best choice in

order to collect the data required to test the theoretical model (Alexandris, Kouthouris &

Melighis, 2006).

* Q1: What demographic variables are related to place attachment?

In terms of the demographic characteristics of the sample, 46.4 % were women

and 53.6% were men. More than half, 56.6 %, were skiers, 36.1 % were snowboarders,

but more demographic details can be seen in Table 1.

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Table 1. Response distribution for selected variablesDemographic Values Valid percentSkiers 56.6 %Snowboarders 36.1%

Other activities like tubing and snowshoeing

Age:

7.3%

20 year old and under 7.4%

between 21 and 30 years old 46.9 %

between 31 and 40 years old 14.8 %

between 41 and 50 years old 19.8 %

between 51 and 60 years old 6.2 %

over 60 years old

Gender:

4.9 %

women 46.4 %

men

Income:

53.6%

$39.999 a year or less 43.9%

between $40.000 and $79.999 a year 25.6%

more than $80.000 a year 30.5%

* Q2: What are the motivations in choosing a certain ski resort in NH?

Based on my research, Waterville Valley was identified as the one where people

liked to go the most, followed by Loon Mountain and Cannon Mountain Ski Ares.

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The reasons identified by the respondents as being the most important for visiting

a ski resort in New Hampshire were (Table 2): the features of the mountain, followed by

price, proximity, the amenities in the area and friends’ recommendations. Other reasons

for choosing a ski resort were: friendliness of the staff, annual snowfall amount and the

learning progression options. Good Internet reviews were one of the least important

reasons in choosing a ski resort, and, surprisingly, family tradition since family tradition

is often an important indicator of place attachment as attachment happens in childhood,

when the family plans outdoor activities like skiing and snowboarding.

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Table 2. The motivations in choosing a certain ski resort in NH

* Q3: Is place attachment an important factor in choosing a resort? Attachment was measured using six items combined into a summated index.

Based on factor loading and face validity, the six variables used to measure place

attachment included: “This place is very special to me”, “I can’t imagine a better place

for skiing/snowboarding”, “I identify strongly with this place”, “coming here is the most

satisfying thing I do”, “I find that a lot of my life is organized around this place”, and “I

have an emotional attachment to this place”. The attachment score ranges from 6 to 20,

6.00 meaning strongly attached, and 20.00, strongly detached (mean = 11.46, and std.

dev. 3.521). Because the attachment is a low value and detachment is a high value, all the

Pearson Correlation appear negative.

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A reliability analysis of this index yielded a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of .66

(mean = 1.911), and a series of multivariate analysis was used to determine which

variables are statistically significant predictors of place attachment. The strongest

relationship analyzed, indicated that the level of education (p-val = .006), age (p-val

= .025), income (p-val =.068), and family tradition (p-val =.087) are the factors that have

the most influencing straight of place attachment (Table 3).

Table 3. Bivariate Correlation TableAttachment

Score

Family tradition Pearson

Correlation-.190

Sig. (2-tailed) .087

N 82

Proximity - Close to home Pearson

Correlation.151

Sig. (2-tailed) .176

N 82

Features of the mountain Pearson

Correlation-.181

Sig. (2-tailed) .107

N 81

What is the highest degree or level of school you have

completed?

Pearson

Correlation-.303**

Sig. (2-tailed) .006

N 82

What is your annual household income? Pearson

Correlation-.205

Sig. (2-tailed) .068

N 80

Age category Pearson

Correlation-.252*

Sig. (2-tailed) .025

N 79*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed).

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**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

Because age is a variable that has a an influencing straight of place attachment, I

split the data into two categories, less than 30 years old and over 30 years old. The results

show that there was no significant relationship between age and place attachment. This

happened because the first category had more data than the second category.

Conclusions

As a final result, based on my data we can conclude that older, richer, mode

educate people are more attached to place. Given the small sample size relationship

between family and attachment is approaching statistical significance (p=.087), it is

reasonable to assume that future studies on a larger scale will produce better results.

Overall, there is a relationship between place attachment and the motivations in choosing

a certain ski resort in New Hampshire,

Studies have shown that it is possible to investigate the contribution of place

attachment to predict customer loyalty and also examine the influence of service quality

in the development of place attachment. The interaction and the physical environment

dimensions of service quality help predict place identity and place attachment. The best

approaches for future research are to focus on the classification of multiple tourist types

and try to identify the complex attitudes and behaviors that may be associated with place

attachment.

References

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Alexandris, K., Kouthouris, C., & Meligdis, A. (2006). Increasing customers' loyalty in

a skiing resort. The Contribution of Place Attachment and Service Quality.

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 18(5), 414-425.

Bell, M. (2009). The human nature of nature. In An invitation to environmental

sociology (3nd ed., pp. 202-204). Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Pine Forge Press.

Brehm, J., Eisenhauer, B., & Stedman, R. (2012). Environmental concern: Examining

the role of place meaning and place attachment. Society & Natural Resources,

(0894-1920), 1-17.

Brehm, J., Eisenhauer, B., & Krannich, R. (2006). Community attachment as predictors

of local environmental concern. American Behavioral Scientist, 50(2), 1-24.

Eisenhauer, B., Krannich, R., & Blaha, D. (2000). Attachment to special places on public

lands: An analysis of activities, reason for attachments, and community

connections. Science & Natural Resources, 13(0894-1920/00), 421-441.

Giuliani, M. (2003). 5 Theory and place attachment. In Psychological theories for

environmental issues (pp. 137-170). Ashgate: Aldershot.

Hou, J., Lin, C., & Morais, D. (2005). Antecedents of attachment to a cultural tourism

destination: The case of Hakka and Non-Hakka Taiwanese visitors to Pei-Pu,

Taiwan. Journal of Travel Research, 44(10), 221-233.

Kyle, G., Graefe, A., Manning, R., & Bacon, J. (2003). An examination of the

relationship between leisure activity involvement and place attachment among

hikes along the Appalachian Trail. Journal of Leisure Research, 35(3), 249-273.

Mitchell, M., Carroll, M., & McLaughlin, W. (1993). Forest places of the heart. Journal

of Forestry, 32-37.

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Philips, J., & Brunt, P. (2013). Tourist differentiation: Developing a typology for the

winter sports market. Tourism, 61(3), 219-243.

Trentelman, C. (2009). Place attachment and community attachment: A primer

grounded in the lived experience of a community sociologist. Society and Natural

Resources, 22(0894-1920), 191-210.

Yüksel, A.(2010). Destination attachment: Effects on customer satisfaction and

cognitive, affective and cognitive loyalty. Tourism Management, 31, 274-

284.

Appendices

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1. Which of the following NH ski resort do you like to go to the most?

o Waterville Valley Resort

o Loon Mountain

o Cannon Mountain Ski Area

o Ragged Mountain

o Attitash

o Bretton Woods

o Other (please specify)

2. What type of winter sport do you practice the most?o Ski

o Snowboard

o Tubing

o Other (please specify)

3. How often do you go to your favorite NH resort each year?o once a year

o to 3 times a year

o 4 to 5 times a year

o more than 5 times a year

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9. About how long does it take you to travel to your favorite resort in NH from home?o 30 minutes or less

o 31 minutes to an hour

o one to two hours

o more than two hours

10. When visiting your favorite NH resort, are you usually at home, staying at a hotel, in a second home or with friends in town?

o Traveling from home

o Staying in a hotel

o Staying in our second home

o Staying with friends

o Other (please specify)

11. What is your annual household income?o $20,000 or less

o 20,001 to $39,999

o 40,000 to $59,999

o $60,000 to $79,999

o $80,000 to $99,999

o $100,000 and up

12. What is your sex?o Female

o Male

13. In what year were you born?

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