Whistler Blackcomb Holdings Inc, reported visitation to North America's largest mountain resort grew 24.2 percent  in the fiscal third quarter ended June 30, helping offset the decline in skier traffic it saw in the prior two quarters.

The company said that while skier visits dropped by 20,000, or 7.3 percent during the quarter due to unseasonably warm weather at lower elevations, other visits rose by 29,000 reflecting growth in  sightseeing, hiking and its mountain bike park businesses. That resulted in a 2.3 percent net increase in total visitation during the quarter.

As of August 4, other visits were 394,000 for the year to date, an increase of 8 percent compared to the same period in the prior year.

The company, which holds a 75 percent interest in and manages the Whistler Blackcomb resort in British Columbia, Canada, also reported higher revenues and lower losses for the quarter.

Third quarter Adjusted EBITDA of $3.3 million was 39.6 percent higher than Adjusted EBITDA for the comparative period last year due to increased revenue and lower selling general and administrative costs.

 “We are pleased with our strong third quarter results on the back of one of the most challenging winters in our history,” said President and CEO Dave Brownlie.   “During the 2014-15 ski season we saw continued growth in destination visitors and generated record pre-committed sales, which contributed to our financial performance and the stability of our business.Our summer operations are currently in full swing and, based on our results to date, we are benefiting from strong momentum in visitation as well as improved guest spending patterns.  Looking ahead to next ski season, our season pass and frequency card sales to date are encouraging and demonstrate the strong loyalty of guests in our regional market.”

Financial & Operating Results Overview
(In thousands, except per visit amounts and Effective Ticket Price (“ETP” as defined below))


Nine months ended
June 30,

Three months ended
June 30,

2015

2014

% Change

2015

2014

% Change

Visit Metrics

Skier visits

1,770

1,945

(9.0%)

253

273

(7.3%)

Other visits

219

185

18.4%

149

120

24.2%

Total visits

1,989

2,130

(6.6%)

402

393

2.3%

Pricing Metrics

ETP

$

59.88

$

55.77

7.4%

$

44.98

$

47.58

(5.5%)

Revenue per total visit

$

113.96

$

104.77

8.8%

$

87.63

$

87.81

(0.2%)

Financial Results

Total revenue

$
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