22 - 23 ski season smashes all time visitation numbers

[skiur]

Not yet, im skiing this weekend!

 

[thebigo]

NH ski visits up 13% year over year. Weekly visitation in March up an average of 54%; up 81% when the first two weeks of April are included. Hopefully some operator takes a look at the numbers and rethinks the demand for a late season product.

New Hampshire Skier Visits Up 13 Percent - Ski Area Management

SAM Magazine—Waterville Valley, N.H., June 8, 2023—Ski areas in New Hampshire tallied more than 2.2 million skier and snowboarder visits in the 2022-23 season, an increase of 13 percent over the previous season, according to Ski New Hampshire. The growth was almost double the national average...

www.saminfo.com

 

[Great Bear]

To be fair, there have been arguments made over the years that "high day ticket prices will drive people out of the sport". So far at least, the active participant numbers (and skier visit numbers) don't validate that fear.

I agree the experience difference is the bigger complaint in the "Vail Sucks" thread at least though.

Were there active participants numbers released?

It makes sense that cheap passes will encourage more pass purchases and once people have a pass, they will use it more since they are not paying more per day anymore (It is "free" to go another day once you have a pass). With the current low-cost season pass / high-cost day ticket price model I don't think we can assume that an increase in skier visits = and increase in participants.

 

[Great Bear]

Then, there‘s the complaint about the skiing experience due to big crowds. The suggestion is those crowds are pass holders, which translate to no additional income to the resort. But that theory is clearly off the mark, as more and more resorts joining the mega-pass and few leaves.

Well, in theory many people who visit on a pass would spend money for overpriced burgers, beers etc etc plus other retail and rentals.

Parnter resorts to ikon get paid out based on scans etc so not sure where the idea of getting no additional income comes from.