Destination ambassador, authenticity and informal communication. Exploratory research on mountain professionals

The paper discusses the topic of the destination ambassador in relation to local stakeholders who are not participating in a destination ambassador program (DAP). The information given to tourists by such figures, as part of a process of informal communication, is based on the authentic personal experience of the local stakeholder: information and any advice given are communicated spontaneously by the local stakeholder who has no contractual relations or hierarchical ties with any particular tourism organisation. The paper presents the initial results of ongoing research aimed at investigating the role of mountain professionals as destination ambassadors, shedding light on a new paradigm of host-guest communication. In Alpine destinations ski instructors and mountain guides are recognised as trustworthy stakeholders with regard to the exercise of their profession. Our research examines whether or not these local stakeholders possess the characteristics associated with a destination ambassador and aims to answer three research questions: RQ1 - Do mountain professionals only teach their clients about the theory and practice of their sport/activity or do they also share their knowledge about the destination? RQ2 - Do mountain professionals feel to be part of the destination offer? RQ3 - Do mountain professionals consider important to acquire skills connected to knowledge of the places in which they operate? The area chosen for our field research is Trentino (Italy). 945 local ski instructors and mountain guides filled out and submitted valid questionnaires. Descriptive statistical analyses and ANOVA to test the equality of means by professions have been carried out. This is, to the best of our knowledge, one of the first studies to investigate the topic of the destination ambassador outside the framework of a DAP.