Optimizing Service Quality in Ski Hotels: An IPA Model Analysis in Jilin, China

This study evaluates service quality in ski hotels across Jilin Province, China, an emerging winter-tourism hub anchored by Changbai Mountain.Using a convergent mixed-methods design, we combined SERVQUAL surveys (n = 300), Importance-Performance Analysis, and 30 stakeholder interviews to diagnose five service dimensions and map priorities.Empathy ( = 0.35) and responsiveness ( = 0.28) are the strongest drivers of satisfaction yet show the largest expectationperformance gaps.Equipment quality and response time fall into the "Concentrate Here" quadrant, signaling urgent remedial action.Qualitative themes-peak-season understaffing, limited culturalsensitivity training, and under-investment in rental gear-explain these deficits and point to feasible interventions.We recommend deploying multilingual AI chatbots, instituting quarterly intercultural workshops, and reallocating 15% of annual capital budgets to modern equipment; scenario analysis suggests these steps could cut response times by 35%, raise empathy scores, and lift repeat visits by 10%.A projected incremental revenue of RMB 2 million per property underscores the economic payoff.An anonymized dataset and analysis code will be shared upon acceptance to foster replication and benchmarking.Findings enrich mixed-methods service research and offer a scalable blueprint for winter-sport destinations across Northeast Asia.