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Different, alternative or complementary strategies have been advanced for the rejuvenation of the ski tourism product, thus favoring its economic and environmental sustainability. This paper aims to provide new suggestions by looking at the determinants of ski lift ticket prices in the Dolomites.

The paper uses a hedonic price model approach, which allows the identification of the relative importance of different attributes on the determination of a product price.

The model shows that a higher level of investment in modern lifts and snowmaking equipment undertaken by the resort pays off in terms of customers’ perceived value-for-money relationship. The same is not true for investments in the enlargement of the skiable surface or the introduction of night skiing options and illuminated slopes. The authors found evidence that non-participatory activities, such as different winter sports and on-slope entertainment, can improve the customer’s perception of resorts’ quality. Finally, reputation plays an important role in determining the customers’ perception of good value-for-money destinations and deals.

With respect to previous works, the research expands the range of attributes possibly impacting ski lift ticket prices. Identifying crucial elements consumers would be willing to pay for allows managers to re-think and adjust their products and prices accordingly, improving the economic sustainability of the ski tourism product.

The aim of this paper is to profile the World Hospitality and Tourism Themes (WHATT) theme issue “Tourism sustainability in the Alpine region: What are the major trends and challenges?” with reference to the experience of the theme editors and writing team.

This paper uses structured questions to enable the theme editors to reflect on the rationale for the theme issue question, the starting-point, the selection of the writing team and material and the editorial process.

It draws on a multidisciplinary approach to identify some key components of sustainable tourism for the French and Italian Alps. It reflects on research and stakeholder interaction that helped to shape the current and future thinking about how Alpine mountain resorts can enhance sustainability in relation to the destination offer, accommodation, transport and mobility and institutional, legal and socio-economic aspects.

The theme issue outcomes provide lines of enquiry for others to explore, and they reinforce the value of WHATT’s approach to collaborative working and writing.

The work reported in this theme issue provides research-based evidence of the need for rapid adaptation to sustainable tourism development for resorts in the French and Italian Alps. Traditionally designed to facilitate skiing and snow sports, the impact of climate change is forcing a rethink to safeguard Alpine tourism – a vital economic activity to these and most mountain tourism destinations.

Explores the role of commitment in maintaining relationship bonds even when the level of satisfaction with specific transactions is low. A strong relationship can exist between these professional service providers and their clients even when participants do not feel positive about their interactions. A study of the factors which influence accountant choice and switching behavior shows a great reluctance by clients to alter the existing client/accountant relationship. Accountants′ clients are often unwilling to explore alternative service options even if dissatisfied. A number of different bases of commitment emerge from analysis of both the factors which might lead to a change in accountant and attitudes towards the current provider.

This aim of this paper was to highlight the awareness of ethical issues across the group of information systems (IS) professionals from a range of geographical regions.

An initial survey was conducted that informed in-depth interviews with 26 IS professionals from across the globe. The study identified that around 70 per cent of the sample were over 50 years old. This provided an opportunity to consider age-related differences in perception regarding ethical awareness of both current and emerging technologies.

The project revealed that the more mature IS professionals had a significantly higher level of awareness and perceived understanding regarding the importance of ethical issues than the younger IS professionals.

The research was limited to IS professionals and so the findings do not generalise further. Future research would be beneficial to find out if the higher level of ethical awareness is also evident across older people in general or whether it is specific to technology professionals.

IS professionals need to be exposed to high standards and expectations of ethical behaviour from senior colleagues, as well as embedding this within technical education.

Caution with regards to youth culture and youthitisation of the workforce needs to be exerted to avoid rash decision-making and short-termism, which could undermine progress and development. A change in the view of employers to older workers will also require a change in attitudes across Western society, particularly as demographics continue to skew towards an aging population.

This paper provides new insight into the ethical awareness of older employees and goes some way to dispel the myths surrounding stereotypes of older workers as being fearful of technology and resistant to change.