Bookings at western mountain resorts are showing an aggregated 7.4 percent gain in occupancy for the upcoming season compared to the same time last year according to DestiMetrics, a Denver-based organization that tracks mountain lodging bookings at 19 western mountain resorts in six states.
Data available as of Sept. 30 show increases appearing in the first five months of the November through March ski season. Aggregated revenue is also strong with a 15.5 percent increase for the first five months of the 2014-15 season.
A strong start will likely further promote the robust advanced booking pace that is already being demonstrated in early season booking patterns, observes Ralf Garrison, director of DestiMetrics. But when it is this early in the season, the role of Mother Nature and the recent volatility of economic and global conditions give rise to a note of caution, he added.
The Briefing also analyzes the data from a regional perspective with results for the Rocky Mountain resorts in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming compared to the Far West resorts in California, Nevada and Oregon. Snow conditions from last season, or what Garrison calls snow equity, is having a distinctly different impact on bookings for the two regions thus far.
The Rocky Mountain resorts are tracking 8.9 percent higher in occupancy with a 16.4 percent increase in overall revenues. In the Far West resorts, however, aggregated occupancy as of Sept. 30 was down 6.5 percent and related revenues are down 7.7 percent.
