On-the-books occupancy at mountain resorts in the western United States for the October through March 2014 period was tracking 11.3 percent ahead of the same period a year ago, according to data collected through Sept. 30 by Denver-based DestiMetrics.

DestiMetrics data show on-the-books occupancy for October is up 7.4 percent compared to last October and revenues are up 13.9 percent. Reservations taken in September for arrivals in September through February were up 9.7 percent compared to the same time last year. The results are based on data that is aggregated from mountain lodging properties in five western states.
 
 
Destimetrics data also show actual occupancy – or actual heads in beds – in September finished up 3.4 percent compared with last September. During the previous six months (April-September), actual occupancy was up 4.6 percent for the period and revenues were up 3.4 percent.
 
 
“All of the reservation metrics are continuing in a positive direction as we go into the prime winter booking season,” explains Ralf Garrison, director of DestiMetrics. “We’ve seen consistent increases in both occupancy and revenue in 11 of the past 12 months and we haven’t seen this kind of sustained strength in the mountain lodging industry since pre-2008.”
 
 
While the mountain resort business has been remarkably impervious to the monthly gyrations of the economy, that will be severely tested by this months government shutdown and looming default, said Tom Foley, operations director for DestiMetrics.
 
“The variances in our data that are related to the larger economy are important to monitor, but for the most part when these monthly economic hiccups pop up, mountain travelers takes it in stride,” noted Foley. “That said, these booking numbers through Sept. 30 precede the current government shutdown and the looming threat of default that is now only 48 hours away-both of which are going to be a litmus test for just how resilient the mountain traveler really is.”
 
 
Although still early in the booking season, DestiMetrics data indicate that 28 percent of winter bookings are made by mid-October and DestiMetrics team is optimistic about how the coming season is shaping up.
 
 
“November is now pacing ahead of last year and the Thanksgiving holiday has shifted forward one week from 2012, moving the business forward accordingly,” said Garrison. “This strong booking pace leads us to believe resorts are benefiting from what we call positive snow equity among prospective mountain travelers based on the abundance of late season snow in most destinations at the end of last winter. That positive impression from last year seems to be driving the pace of reservations strongly higher than in the 2012-13 season.”