Management & Tourism
Heros in Les Arcs: How a summer concept can look
When it was founded in 1968, Les Arcs decided to take on a different path. Since then, it has positioned itself not only as a ski resort, but also as a year- round experience.
The five villages involved are now connected to one another and to the mountains by 200 kilometres of slopes and 53 kilometres of cableway. For a long time, however, summers in the mountains had a shadowy existence; like elsewhere they were considered boring and dusty.
“It was clear that we had to change our product and create more attractions,“ says Les Arcs Marketing and Communication Director Marion Grognet.
1. Listening to the target audience
In 2016, the destination started to change. The first step was to listen to the customers, especially the children. “75 percent of our guests are minors. They make the decision on where the family goes on holiday,“ Marion Grognet says.
As a result, the offer at Les Arc grew steadily and now includes over 30 activities, such as climbing, swimming, archery, minigolf, trampolining, circus acrobatics, mountain carts and hiking.
2. Simplifying the product
“This big, heterogenic offer needs to be communicated in an easy and understandable way,“ urges Marion Grognet.
That is why Les Arcs simplifies the product in a second step. All activities are visible on a map- and happen in a selected area.
The summer program at Les Arcs therefore works like a theme park. In addition, there are only three types of ticket. Using the Hero Pass, customers complete their programme by themselves. All cable car rides and selected activities during a period of seven days are offered for 39 euros.
“With the Hero Camp, customers are together in groups accompanied by a trainer,“ Marion Grognet explains. This ticket is meant for children aged between 4 and 17 and it costs 186 euros for a period of seven days. Hero Cool, on the other hand, allows customers to choose their own activities. The ticket price of 4.40 euros per leisure credit is great for customers who want to try only one or two activities. “This ticket works brilliantly for day-trippers and guests who are staying for about a week,“ Marion Grognet says.
Marion Grognet
for six years Marketing & Communication Director in Les Arcs.
3. Working on pricing
A closer look at the ticket reveals that, Les Arcs has lowered its prices. “We have halved our prices but tripled our audience,“ the Marketing Director explains.
4. Polishing up the image
The offer is diverse, the product communicated in an easy way, the prices low. What‘s missing? The image and reputation. That is why the destination founded the brand “Heros Les Arcs“. “Discover the hero in you“ is the motto that advertises summer tourism on the mountain.
It focuses on adventure, outdoor sports, and family. “What is important is that we have worked together with our partners, the hotel group Belamba and the Villages Club du Soleil, and we continue to evolve and grow,“ Marion Grognet says.
New events like the Hero Games further strengthen the brand. At the Hero Games, children and parents alike master a variety of tasks. The event attracts about 250 participants and lots of spectators.
5. Measuring success
Did the process pay off? Marion Grognet says “yes“. The Revenue increased from 650,000 euros in 2015 to over a million in 2021. Between 2019 and 2020 alone, Les Arc‘s summer revenue grew 10.5 percent and even added 2.7 percent on top of that in 2021. “In general, last summer was our best so far,“ Marion Grognet reports.
In 2020, 420,000 overnight stays were reported; this number grew to 554,000 in 2021. About 92-93 percent of customers are domestic travellers. Furthermore, the summer share of full-year earnings reached a quarter in 2020, and rose as high as 50 percent in 2021.
6. Evolving summer
The hero strategy from 2015 is clearly paying off, but what are the next steps? “With the expansion of the offering, we are going focus on a new target group: senior citizens,“ Marion Grognet says.
Grandparents continue to play a big role in family holidays and want to spend an active and healthy summer in the mountains. A winter pass is also being discussed, to connect an easy ticketing system and diverse offerings, just like in the summer. At the end of the development, there might even be a year- round pass.
