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A learning season

Another challenging winter offers Whistler a host of lessons

The book-early deals were launched; the bookings looked awesome, the mountains and the resort were ready for a banner year. As the first snowflakes fell in November excitement and anticipation flowed through Whistler like a rising river ready to burst its banks.

But as the weeks slipped by and significant snow failed to materialize the only thing that ended up bursting was the collective bubble of anticipation.

And when the rains fell in January many in the resort asked themselves what else could possibly happen. Indeed the period from Jan. 17 to 20 was the heaviest four consecutive days of rain Whistler has ever experienced since weather data was first collected in 1931.

Then the sun came back out and bulbs around the resort could be seen pushing out of the ground. It was February and spring was here.

For Cross Country Connection that meant closing down ski operations after only a four-week season and getting the mountain bikes out.

"We got the bikes out on March 1 st which is quite early, in fact 12 weeks early," said Ian Goldstone, co-owner and operator of the Cross Country Connection.

"In hindsight we probably could have got them out on Feb. 1 but we decided not to give up on winter."

If the coastal weather anomaly had fallen on the heels of consecutively strong years most would just have laughed it off. But it came as Whistler was struggling back from year upon year of challenges. And it came after the resort’s appetite for success had been whet by a stronger December than had been seen in a long time.

The terrorist attacks of 9/11 left their own imprint on tourism, as did the war in Iraq. Then there was the softening global economy, SARS, mad cow, Avian Flu, the rising Canadian dollar and the change in booking patterns as travellers decided to stay close to home or book at the last minute.

Each of these challenges has brought its own set of lessons. But as the resort re-groups this spring the lessons that seem to stand out may also be the lessons that take Whistler forward.

At the top of the list of lessons is the quest to continue the drive to offer outstanding value to travellers, especially as the Canadian dollar remains strong. And everyone needs to stay focused on the long-term so that neither business nor local government makes knee-jerk decisions, which could ultimately harm the product.

This must be tied closely to the highest level of service and that means training staff, helping to maintain their positive attitude, and growing a community spirit.

More diversity of non mountain-based activities would also help.

And no one can afford to sit back on their laurels even with the 2010 Olympic Games on the horizon.

From the ivory tower it’s clear that these types of goals can only be achieved in the long run if all the segments of the resort work together. And the challenges of this season, particularly dealing with Whistler’s mid-winter monsoon, have reinforced that idea.

If some still clung to their love/hate relationship with Whistler-Blackcomb, feeling resentful that their ultimate success was tied to an organization they had no control over, this season has swept it away. You only need to look at the full-page ads in Whistler’s papers from long-time residents and others praising Whistler-Blackcomb’s efforts to stay open to understand that a sea of change has happened.

"It has been stunning to me to see the outpouring of respect and appreciation for the men and women on the mountain that are out there making the product," said Doug Forseth vice-president of operations for the mountains.

"I have to tell you that if that had been any different than what it turned out to be from a community response I don’t know if it would have been as easy to get through this. It really helped keep our people going (and we really felt it) on days when it was dark and depressing and we would say, ‘oh man, what have we got to do now?’

"Everyday I would tell people I felt like a recovering alcoholic where we would just take it one day at a time, because you never knew what the weather was going to bring you. You would work an area one day and then you would lose snow in a critical area.

"So every day you would be doing something to keep you going for just one more day and not knowing what the impact would be. So that kind of appreciation from the community was really vital to our success."

Whistler-Blackcomb spent more than a million dollars waging war with the forces of nature this ski season. But every penny was worth it say officials who were determined to keep the mountain open and operating when ski resorts across the province and in Washington state were closing their doors.

"We thought about (closing a mountain) for a moment but it was a fleeting thought," said Forseth. "There was actually discussion amongst the troops with people saying, ‘I don’t know that we can open today,’

"And then we would say, ‘Yeah, we can open today and we are going to figure it out. No matter what we’re not closing.’"

Not only was Forseth concerned about what shutting down operations would say to the tourists in the resort and those thinking of booking in the future, he was worried about how the community would view the move.

"We know our responsibility to the company but we also understand our responsibility to the community," said Forseth, who still expects Whistler-Blackcomb to have hosted more skiers than any other ski resort this season.

The challenges sent mountain staff into high gear. They gave away hundreds of free ski lessons every day, they discounted food and tickets, they offered specials, and they moved snow from the top of the mountains to the bottom.

The food discount alone is expected to top $600,000 in lost revenue and costs.

Mountain operations teams even invented two new snowcat-dump trucks, at a cost of $17,000 each, to get snow to over-tracked runs.

"We would ski the mountain every day and we would see what was troubling," said Forseth. "Heck we even had guys with hockey sticks out there trying to get the rocks off (the runs)."

Whistler-Blackcomb also had to look after its staff so they wouldn’t quit, leaving the operation in jeopardy when the snow came back.

Trouble on the mountains rapidly trickled down to every sector in the resort so Whistler-Blackcomb was quick to call a meeting with Tourism Whistler officials and members to make sure everyone knew what was being done on the mountains, so the message could be passed on to the guests.

Meanwhile hotels, retail outlets, and adventure companies were brainstorming about how to keep the guests happy. The Westin Resort and Spa started up bingo nights – a roaring success. Tourism Whistler turned the conference centre into an activity centre with movies for kids and other events. Tourists were invited to go to the top of the mountain for storm watching.

"We learned a number of things but at the forefront was to move into action immediately," said Arlene Schieven, vice president of marketing for Tourism Whistler.

"So when the rain started we turned the conference centre into movies for kids. Then we really got out there and focused on the customer so even if their experience wasn’t quite what they were expecting it showed them that we care and we want to do everything we can to pass that message along."

As the snow faded from the valley Blackcomb Snowmobiles had to figure out a way to make their operation stay alive. They had invested heavily in the company this year, with a new snowcat and expansion into other offerings including dog-sled rides.

"We were really expecting it to be a really big winter," said Kim Wilson co-owner of the company. "We all have been doing it for so long that you just have to think of something different and things that we would never dream of doing."

The company decided to move its snowmobiles up to the alpine in the Brandywine area and use ATVs and helicopters to get their guests to the snow. While the guests who did this raved about the experience it did mean narrowing their market, said Wilson.

"We didn’t have the family market," she said. "But the people who used the ATVs enjoyed that as much as the snowmobiling and they were blown away by the experience. It was the highlight of their Whistler vacation."

January ski visits were down 27 per cent from a year earlier, with the biggest hit coming from regional skiers. Tourism officials are predicting that room nights will be 2 per cent lower for the season than they were last year.

With fresh snow blanketing the mountains today the struggles of the last few months seem less pressing. But the lessons, said Stuart Rempel, VP of marketing and sales for Whistler-Blackcomb, are still front and centre.

"A lot of the things that we learned we would never have learned in any kind of a normal environment and I think it provides our resort now with a slight strategic advantage in really understanding challenges," he said.

That has already translated into action with future plans for more snow-making, more summer grooming of runs so they can open with less snow, long-term plans for using mountain glaciers, staff appointments for new product development, and a commitment to deliver value to customers not only on the mountain but through cutting edge products.

This year’s re-branding of the Edge Card for example, said Rempel, was a huge success and one the company hopes to grow.

And the company will remain focused on the long-term goals.

"You have to deal with today, but with a long term outlook in mind," said Forseth. "If you choose the short-term perspective you can really set yourself up for failure going forward."

That principle was one of the guiding reasons the mountains fought so hard to stay open.

"Now I think we have started to turn the corner and I think we have learned a bit," said Forseth. "I think maybe the experience of the last 60 days will continue to reinforce that we need to be aggressive in what we do and how we reach out. We cannot become complacent."

That’s a message echoed by Whistler’s Mayor, Hugh O’Reilly.

"One of the things that is coming really hard now is that we have had an amazing run," said O’Reilly. "In the ’90s we had a number of years of double-digit growth and it is only fair to say that one had to anticipate that that was not going to be sustainable, and that has proven to be true.

"I think it is well recognized that you have to reinvent yourself continuously, but it has to be diversity within the context of tourism. We are not looking at manufacturing."

Many would like to see such things as an outdoor skating rink, a tubing and tobogganing hill. O’Reilly said those things and more are currently being looked at. But it must be done within the context of Whistler’s community plan. O’Reilly firmly believes that working within the Comprehensive Sustainability Plan will ensure that the resort has success now and long into the future.

"(The CSP) talks about what are the success factors in the long term, what will be here 100 years from now," said O’Reilly. "People will still desire to be in nature and to see it and we have those amenities, we have that natural setting, we have the people, we are building the community, and that is really what the CSP talks about.

"I can’t fix the immediate problems. But the real question is, are we on the right path for the next 50 years? I think we are and I think we are looking at every aspect of it in the most holistic approach, and I think as a community that’s where the value of the CSP will prove itself."

The thousands of staff who flock to Whistler every year to work are one of the most important sectors of the community as they provide much of the frontline service to the guest. As the snow failed to materialize and then warm weather set in many business had to cut back on their staffing levels, and many were concerned that the workers would desert the resort. Whistler-Blackcomb set up cheap meals, entertainment and tried to keep everyone going. The Fairmont Chateau threw a Hawaiian theme party in line with the warm weather, complete with Jell-O wars and a limbo contest.

"We were concerned obviously that this was impacting our employees in the short term," said Forseth.

"But on a longer term basis we expected to be fully back in business and needing our staff. So it was important from a business strategy point of view to take care of our people as well, because they take care of doing what they have to do everyday and we can’t do it without them."

O’Reilly also points to the move by the resort to diversify not just its offerings but whom it is offering it to. He is anxious for Whistler to be seen as a first choice for people with disabilities. It is one of the many legacies he hopes for in hosting the Olympics and Paralympic Games, which will be held in Whistler and Vancouver from Feb. 12 to March 21, 2010.

The idea of marketing to different segments to provide year-round stability in visitors is nothing new. But it’s an idea gaining new momentum as Whistler looks for ways to combat the on-going challenges.

"As a resort the focus on the group business market should never be forgotten," said Paul Tormey, the general manager of the Fairmont Chateau Whistler Resort.

"The tourist, while they are a lucrative business for us and someone we absolutely need to come, the realization that they can book last minute and get a flight means they are going to be fickle and so it is difficult to control that.

"Whereas groups are more controllable. Right now that is a great mainstay for this location and something I think we should focus on tremendously.

"With my level of inventory I need a base of them all during the year, even Christmas week. So we are going to be focusing a little bit more on that, and there may be that year when we say we wish we had had a different mix, but this year will stay with me for quite a while."

For many it was all about service to the guest, and in some cases that meant adjusting rates.

"People are focusing on the value equation," said Kerry Wallace, Tourism Whistler’s non-hotel lodging director. "You have to get the rates in line with the value of your accommodation and in line with the demand in the market place, and of course you have to keep your customer service up.

"Guests are far more price conscious. We are not in that bubbly market where people are prepared to pay and are going to overlook things because they feel they are in the centre of the action and where all the snow is.

"I personally adjusted my rates. With the U.S. being the major destination market, when their dollar fell, their purchasing capacity fell and if you want to attract that market then you have to adjust your prices."

Tourism Whistler, which is generally credited with getting the year off to a great start with their book-early and other marketing campaigns, is actively pursuing new tourist segments. Already this spring they are pitching to dog owners to come to the first-ever Dog Days of Whistler dogfest from April 16 to May 1.

"We have done some research on the pet market and the number of people who travel with their pets or who would like to travel with their pets, and there is quite a big market to be tapped there," said Schieven of Tourism Whistler.

"We also want to focus more on the family market. The gay market is also a good match for us, as is the Whistler spa, health and wellness segment, golf and mountain biking too. It is a segmented approach so we identify those key market segments and look at exactly what they want and how well we offer it so we can really cater to their needs."

This year Tourism Whistler is also launching an annual Family Golf Festival May 20-22.

For those on the ground the last several challenging winters have meant owners have to stay flexible. Said Goldstone of Cross Country Connection: "It forced us to be creative."

In collaboration with Whistler-Blackcomb and the municipality Cross Country Connection started taking their customers to a purpose-built cross-country track near the Roundhouse on top of Whistler Mountain.

That’s one reason why the company decided to incorporate mountain biking into the business.

"That is the nature of a strong plan," said Goldstone. "You can’t have too many eggs in one basket. You have to be flexible and you have to learn to adapt."

Inventing new products has also helped a couple of other companies. Zip Trek started a canopy walk last summer which visitors enjoyed all winter, along with the zip line experience.

"The tour itself doesn’t depend so much on what is happening outside," said co-owner Dave Udow. "We tried really hard to promote that to people as well as adding more in the way of afternoon and evening tours so that as people came off the mountain and they were looking for something else to do we were there to try and take care of them.

"It was somewhat ironic as we often in the winter have a hard time saying to people that they are in a coastal temperate rainforest. After all they generally just see snow. But this year they actually had the chance to understand that."

Callaghan Country also reinvented itself after experiencing declining numbers in a challenging climate the previous years. The result? A whooping 30 per cent increase in visits.

"Our challenge was to promote an adventure centre as opposed to a Nordic centre," said Brad Sills of Callaghan Country, which offers a variety of backcountry experiences in the Callaghan valley. "So we told people, ‘bring all your skis and if we can’t go ski touring then we can go cross country or we can go exploring using snowshoes or even tobogganing.

"Funnily enough that has been met more enthusiastically, with more families coming who really don’t have an interest in athletic pursuits. They are more interested in the lure of the dining room and the fact that they can do old fashioned recreation with their children."

Sills firmly believes that part of the success of Callaghan Country is the perception by guests that they are getting great value for their money. They have access to a number of great activities, in a superb lodge with outstanding food in pristine wilderness.

"We really do have to focus not only on true value but on the perception of value," said Sills. "That is what we are trying to do in our business. To ensure that when people are introduced to it, they say, ‘Wow, look at all this. Isn’t it great?’

"It is a big marketplace out there. There is lots of product and if you are just one type of activity then you are probably going to have a very short life."



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