A group of Vail Resorts have launched an App along with a website that is focused on transforming the Ski experience. Cooperative Associations and National Parks can leverage ideas from this solution. One thing that is unique here is they are using RFID chips in the ski passess to track where folks are located. When folks pass through the lift gates the gates have RFID readers built into them. Keep in mind the Ski resorts also have mobile data access unlike most national parks so the infrastructure is different. What I find exciting are the following features:
1. Find your friends: the ability see where your kids/friends in the park or on the mountain is a great feature. Then the ability to coordinate meals or plans is fantastic.
2. Badges / Pins / Rewards: the ability to have rewards or accomplishments built into the App such as if you finish a certain number of hikes or make it to certain places like Half Dome, etc. you get a pin / badge / reward is a great way to encourage repeat visits.
3. Integration with Facebook / Twitter: Sharing badges / pins / rewards with facebook / twitter is a great way to communicate your passion for the park / sking and your accomplishments.
The downside of these features is the loss of privacy. The idea that a ski resort has all this data about your ability to ski and where you have been can be unsettling to folks. Regardless you can see the video on the new iPhone / Andriod App for Vail here:
