U.S. ski areas report holiday business OK

[billski]

Published: Thursday, January 22, 2009 5:16 AM EST

Reports from U.S. ski areas confirm what a previous study indicated: Skiers and snowboarders continue to hit the slopes in strong numbers despite the economic slump.

The National Ski Areas Association says several dozen ski areas nationwide found that skiers and riders showed up in numbers similar to last season’s holiday period, and, in some cases, in record numbers.


http://www.stowetoday.com/articles/...news/local_news/doc497795fb473a8823452956.txt

 

[tcharron]

But based on the sales, etc to be found, I have to assume they are spending less, even if they are showing up.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Whoever wrote the Stowe Reporter article is obviously on crack.

SAM Magazine—Vail, Colo., Jan. 9, 2009—Unaudited interim data for Vail Resorts (VR) show season-to-date skier visits for the company's five mountain resorts were down 5.8 percent compared to the prior year. Lift ticket revenues dropped 7.5 percent, including an allocated portion of season pass revenue for each year. Bookings through VR's central reservations and at VR's owned and managed properties as of Dec. 31 were down 14.8 percent in room nights, inclusive of actual guest stays season to date.

ASPEN OCCUPANCY RATES TUMBLE
January 9, 2009

SAM Magazine—Aspen, Colo., Jan. 9 2008—Following news of declining occupancy rates in Vail, Aspen lodging properties are reporting lower occupancy rates for the holiday season. In Aspen, a soft Christmas week holiday period saw occupancy at just 67 percent compared to last year’s 87 percent.
Advance reservations are similar reduced. As of the last day of 2008, the reservations were at 64 percent of capacity for January and 51 percent for February. A year ago, comparable reservation rates were 81 percent and 67 percent; that puts this year’s current advance reservation rate about 25 percent below last year’s. Advance reservation rates or Snowmass Village are 58 percent and 57 percent, down 15 points and 7 points, respectively, from 2008.

I get the JH paper and their holiday numbers were down 30% during the xmas holiday. Sun Valley also had very poor numbers.

In the east things are doing pretty good but for the major western destination resorts, not so much.

 

[Hawkshot99]

But based on the sales, etc to be found, I have to assume they are spending less, even if they are showing up.

I am having a record year here in the retain shop at Jimney. My friend runs one of the restaurants and he is having a record year as well. So the people are spending when they go.

 

[Geoff]

In the east things are doing pretty good but for the major western destination resorts, not so much.

It stands to reason that a number of people looked at their job uncertainty & 401-K balance and many decided to skip the big ticket destination resort ski week trip this year. The drive-to weekend business has a different psychology since people are paying for it out of cash flow and at least have the option to reign in the spending for the weekend by doing BYOB, brown bagging, and coooking in or takeout. It also helps that gas prices are down. .

I also suspect more people are value shopping this year than in previous years. As the poorest value in the Northeast for walk-up business, the new-improved Killington under POWDR certainly isn't seeing an increase in skier visits.

 

[4aprice]

Camelback PA is doing very well this year. Maybe people are sticking closer to home. It dosn't hurt that the conditions have been really good this year in this area. The lots certainly have been mostly full most weekends.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[loafer89]

I know the lady here at the White Wolf Inn in Stratton Maine and she told me that Christmas occupancy was down by 36% over last year. The snowmobiling is holding it's own but alot more people are choosing to come up mid-week and take advantage of greatly reduced lodging rates and special's on rooms rather than pay a premium for weekend's.

 

[frozencorn]

I recently did a story on this too. The bottom line is "destination" resorts out west (Aspen, etc) are losing lots of business, while places closer to Denver (Loveland, Copper, etc.) are doing normal business. Same here, where most places aren't hurting terribly thanks to the lack of a trips out west and gas being much more reasonable than anyone could have imagined five months ago.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

http://www.parkrecord.com/ci_11539343?source=most_viewed