From snow-curious explorers to die-hard snow devotees: segmenting winter sport tourists

Kirstin Hallmann et al.

International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship2026https://doi.org/10.1108/ijsms-07-2025-0304article
AJG 1ABDC B
Weight
0.37

What the paper says

Purpose This study aims to segment winter sport tourists based on involvement variables and create winter sport personas characterised by additional descriptor variables rooted in socio-economics and behavioural variables. Design/methodology/approach This study employs a quantitative research paradigm using cross-sectional data derived from an online survey (n = 2,500). Using the four stages of involvement of the psychological continuum model (PCM), four distinct involvement segments were created and tested with various descriptor variables using a multinomial probit regression. Findings Segmentation results revealed four unique winter sport personas: (1) snow-curious explorers, (2) laid-back adventurers, (3) powder chasers and (4) snow devotees. Each segment differed in its involvement profile and was characterised by specific socio-demographic attributes, behavioural patterns, and expenditure levels. The data suggested that higher levels of involvement are associated with participation in a wider range of winter sports and increased spending across various categories. Originality/value Involvement was used as the primary segmentation criterion, encompassing hedonic, symbolic and centrality dimensions. In contrast to previous approaches, which tested for group differences, a probit regression analysis revealed determinants of consumer segment membership. Finally, the PCM was utilised in a multi-sport setting for the first time.

1 citation

Open paper page →

Cite this paper

https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1108/ijsms-07-2025-0304

Or copy a formatted citation

@article{kirstin2026,
  title        = {{From snow-curious explorers to die-hard snow devotees: segmenting winter sport tourists}},
  author       = {Kirstin Hallmann et al.},
  journal      = {International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1108/ijsms-07-2025-0304},
}

Paste directly into BibTeX, Zotero, or your reference manager.

Flag this paper

From snow-curious explorers to die-hard snow devotees: segmenting winter sport tourists

Flags are reviewed by the Arbiter methodology team within 5 business days.


Evidence weight

0.37

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.16 × 0.4 = 0.06
M · momentum0.53 × 0.15 = 0.08
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.