Purpose This research examines the distinctive characteristics of ski tourism segments in China by investigating their psychological connections to skiing, demographic profiles, participation constraints and perceived risks. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was used to collect data from potential and existing ski tourists in China. Based on the Psychological Continuum Model, the respondents were segmented into four groups according to their psychological connection level with skiing. Comparative analyses were conducted to investigate differences among these segments. Findings The study identified four segments- “peripherals”, “experience seekers”, “rising enthusiasts” and “devotees”, with increasing psychological involvement and decreasing participation constraints. Notably, risk perception varies across segments. “Peripherals” reported the highest time, social, psychological and physical risks. “Experience seekers” and “rising enthusiasts” exhibited higher performance risks than “peripherals”, while “devotees” experienced the lowest financial and physical risks. Practical implications The findings offer valuable insights for developing targeted marketing strategies for China’s ski tourism market—for example, offering VR trials for peripherals, subscription models for experience seekers, premium training for rising enthusiasts and luxury tours for devotees. Ski resorts should prioritize high-value “devotees” and growth-focused “rising enthusiasts,” target “experience seekers” long-term and deprioritize low-spending “peripherals.” Originality/value This research extends the application of the PCM framework in sports market segmentation by integrating the analysis of participation constraints and risk perceptions. It provides a deeper understanding of market components and barriers to participation.
Shi et al. (Mon,) studied this question.
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