Oct
11
“The Cypress Problem”
Posted by: Peyman Gazor | October 11, 2010 | Leave a Comment
The marketing team at Whistler Blackcomb are working harder than ever to bring in more tourists to the area. From all of the exposure Whistler experienced during the Olympics, why would they now have a hard time driving in customers? This is all due to “the Cypress Problem”, the phrase used by Whistlers public relations office that is trying its best to counter tourist views.
During the Olympics, Whistler, experienced their second snowiest winter. Whistler Blackcomb was the “place to be” at that time. On the other hand, Cypress Mountain had some of the worst conditions including rainstorms and lack of snow. From a tourist point of view this could go two ways. Either remember the beautiful Whistler Blackcomb for what it was, or think back to the dreadful conditions on Cypress and base your opinion on B.C.’s mountains on that (assuming tourists don’t know how to distinguish between the two mountains). It just so happens that tourists are confusing Whistler for Cypress, and this has had a severe impact on drawing in overseas visitors. Marketers are trying there best to clear up the confusion.
There are many other things that have contributed to Whistlers decrease in customers. The rising Canadian dollar has driven away American tourists who use to use the strong U.S. dollar to their advantage. B.C.’s new harmonized sales tax is also another negative, making goods and services more expensive at the resort. Lastly, surrounding competition is driving potential customers away from Whistler due to their cheaper rates. The resort charges a staggering $93 for a one day pass (not including any deals) ! Whistler Blackcomb clearly needs to discover better ways in attracting mountain lovers, especially in these harder economic times.