Mobile Menu

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • MARY JO TARALLO ON LINKEDIN
  • GALLERY
  • BLOG
  • ARCHIVES
  • CONTACT
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Phone
  • Twitter
  • Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Phone
  • Twitter

Sun and Snow Adventures

Interesting places and things to do

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • MARY JO TARALLO ON LINKEDIN
  • GALLERY
  • BLOG
  • ARCHIVES
  • CONTACT

Early Ski Area Closings a Financial Hit But is There a Silver Lining?

by MJ Tarallo

On March 25, Slopefiller’s Gregg Blanchard just completed a survey of U.S. ski areas to determine the current “state of the industry” and find out more about how resorts have handled the ramifications of Covid-19. Aside from being winter playgrounds for skiers and snowboarders, resorts are business operations that are being affected in may ways as are their employees. Blanchard published the survey on Twitter.

As previously reported just about every ski area is closed and many, especially the larger western resorts, closed way before anticipated. March is one of the busiest months of the year for them and two of the large conglomerates – Vail and Alterra – shuttered their properties in the middle of the month. Others soon followed suit if they were not already closing due to normal end of season operations. Many larger resorts stay open through Easter which, this year, is Sunday, April 12.

And, this is the time the year that most resorts and multi-resort operations heavily pitch their season passes for next year. Now, marketing staffs are being reduced and resort marketing teams are reluctant to promote their products considering today’s circumstances.

According to the Slopefillers survey, nearly 66% of resorts are laying off marketing staff or reducing hours. And, although 60% of survey respondents said their season passes are on sale, only 16% are promoting them. Early Bird deals (lowest possible sales prices) typically end on May 31.

When the dust settles, all of this could be good news for consumers. Those “Early Bird” prices points could be delayed or even pushed to the fall and resorts could be coming up with more and longer-lasting creative ways for to make payments on the “installment plan”.

Coming soon: A synopsis of season pass programs.

Previous Post: « Coronavirus Halts Ski Resort Operations in North America and Europe
Next Post: Indy Pass Response to Coronavirus; Offers 2020-21 Discounts and Credits »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Footer

Contact

Ph: 202-431-6950
mjt@sunandsnowadventures.com

 

  • Are Fortunes at Destination Ski Resorts Turning Around? Depends!
  • Colorado Resort Reports 109 Covid Positive Cases Among Staff; Are They Alone?
  • Snow and Temps are Falling: Layering is Mandatory and XC Skiing is an Option
  • Indy Pass Adds Locations; Some Destination Resorts Take a “Powder”
  • Perfect Storm: Snow, Lift Lines & Avalanches
  • Covid Restrictions Prompt Disgruntled Epic Pass Holders in New England
  • Survey Says XC Skiing is an Antidote to Covid Jitters
  • All Aspen Indoor Dining Shut But Mountains Still Open
  • Hunter Reopens after Covid Closure; Product Shows & Demos Cancelled or Virtual
  • Cross Country Skiing: It’s Affordable, it’s Healthy and it’s “HOT” Right Now
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Email sign up

Copyright © 2021 · Sun & Snow Adventures