Measuring Service Quality at Tourist Destinations: An Application of Importance-Performance Analysis to an Alpine Ski Resort

The objective of this study was to identify and evaluate the attributes (features and services) of a ski resort. Focus groups and in-depth interviews were used to develop a list of attributes that both consumers and service providers believe to be of importance when skiing in Verbier, Switzerland. Following this, a sample of 151 skiers randomly chosen throughout the season, were asked to comment on the importance and performance of 97 separate attributes in a detailed questionnaire. By using the Importance Performance Analysis (IPA) technique, final tabulated results were presented in a two-dimensional grid to show the strengths' and weaknesses of the tourism variables being studied. The study demonstrates that IPA provides a useful technique for evaluating service attributes in relation to skiing destinations.