As of Nov. 30, on-the-books occupancy at mountain resorts and destinations for the month of December was running 11.3 percent ahead of a year ago, according to a survey by the Mountain Travel Research Program (MTRiP), while the average daily rate, or ADR, at resorts participating in its survey was up 3.4 percent.


The research firm said on-the books occupancy for the December to May period is just as cheerful with year-over-year occupancy currently up 10.4 percent, including double-digit increases in every month except March.

Whether the gains hold up remains to be seen, said Ralf Garrison, director of MTRiP.


“At this point, we are definitely feeling cheery about the economy as a whole and the continued strength of mountain lodging but it is still uncertain if this is a seasonal setting or the long-awaited recovery,” observed Garrison. “Either way, it is good for the ski industry and the economy as a whole,” he concluded.

 

The data is derived from a sample of 265 property management companies in 15 mountain destination communities in the western U.S, representing 24,000 rooms across Colorado, Utah, California and Oregon. The data also includes data from 11 mountain destinations in New England from 45 different properties.

 

MTRiP als reported that actual occupancy in November  was up 4.5 percent over November 2010 at particpating resorts.

 

“The mountain travel industry continues to be relatively strong as we move into the full-blown winter booking season,” said Garrison. “We’re seeing strong growth in both western and eastern regions and a nice continuation of the momentum that started building in early summer and carried into the fall booking season for many destinations,” he added.

The monthly briefing also tracks and assesses national economic indicators and their potential impact on the ski, snowboard and mountain travel industry.  For the first time in several years, the five indexes closely monitored by the MTRiP staff were described as positive.  
    
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up at the end of November for the second consecutive month as investor fears eased on news that central banks agreed to lower interest rates for European countries.  Consumer confidence jumped 36 percent in November and the Unemployment Rate posted its second consecutive monthly drop down to 8.6 percent although the MTRiP analysts acknowledge that despite the creation of 120,000 new jobs, seasonal positions and fewer individuals seeking employment had an influence on the declining number.


“We will watch the unemployment figures closely over the coming months to track both seasonal employment and the conversion of those jobs into permanent positions,” explained Tom Foley, MTRiP’s operations director.  “These numbers impact consumer confidence which in turn influences their spending patterns, including recreational travel,” he added.

The Travel Price Index, which measures the average cost of travel related expenses, dropped for the third consecutive month-down 1.7 percent in November.  Foley attributes this decline to the lower price of crude oil and fuel for air, rail and car travel.  The Consumer Price Index also declined in October for only the second time since December 2009.  “The decline in the cost of living is very timely as the economy moves into the critical holiday shopping season,” Foley added.