Vail Resorts, one of the world’s largest snow sports resort management companies, faces serious climate change issues. For years, the organization tried to deal with rising temperatures and less snowfall by growing its resort network and diversifying its product portfolio to extend its season. Alicia Campero, Vail Resorts’ Vice President of Sustainability Strategy, was leading the corporate effort to contain the company’s environmental footprint while also limiting its business exposure to poor snow conditions. How should she handle negative press coverage or the intense competition from their rivals? Will she be able to provide significant value to millions of skiers and snowboarders during their resort visits? Can she manage the weather-related revenue risk and improve the company’s profitability with strategic global expansion? Can she overcome the challenges of managing differences when expanding abroad in 2023?
Using publicly available ski industry statistics, climate data, and country-level cultural indices, readers of this case assume the role of Campero and her team. Students must make strategic decisions about what the organization will do regarding climate change. The case provides facts on Vail Resorts’ multitude of property acquisitions, stock performance, finances, and competitors, which will help readers make strategic recommendations on where the company should focus its next major geographic expansion.
ViewPoint Role Play Module:
To enhance your students’ learning experience into a real-time role playing exercise, instructors may want to consider a ViewPoint module. ViewPoint is a platform for running customized, hands-on, role playing simulations. It promotes engaged learning by immersing students in a scenario which can be implemented in either remote or in-person settings. Learn more here.
Please Note:
- ViewPoint is not part of WDI Publishing and its products are managed and sold via a third-party provider.
- Any purchase of a ViewPoint module requires the purchase of one case pdf copy (from wdi-publishing.com) for each
student in the course.