Colorado Ski Country USA’s (CSCUSA) 22 member resorts reported a 5.2 percent decrease in skier visitation from Jan. 1 through Feb. 29 compared to the first two months of 2011.
For the 2011/12 season to date, visitation at CSCUSA resorts is down 7.4 percent compared to the same time last season.
Referring to unpredictable weather patterns that left sizeable portions of the state dry during much of January, Melanie Mills, Colorado Ski Country USA President and CEO explains, “While some of our members are having banner years, this is a challenging season for most of Colorado, and the US ski industry as a whole. We’re comparing this year to last year, when many resorts saw record setting snow.”
The industry remains optimistic having seen moments of stability and strength during the second period. “Our members had very positive Martin Luther King and President’s Day weekends,” explained Mills. “In January, conditions started to return to normal, giving resorts the opportunity to open more and more terrain, and by late February, we saw a dramatic improvement in snow conditions across the state.”
With more than two months left in Colorado’s ski season, CSCUSA resorts are experiencing favorable March spring break business. “Colorado is well positioned having received a good deal of snow during the second period, and resorts continue to offer that what guests are looking for: a superior product with added value and the world’s best service,” said Mills.
Skier visits are the metric used to track participation in skiing and snowboarding. A skier visit represents a person participating in the sport of skiing or snowboarding for any part of one day at a mountain resort.
