Press Release:
Colorado Ski Country USA Sees Mid-Season Skier Visits Skew Slightly Downward
Industry is optimistic about spring
DENVER, Colo. – March 16, 2012 – Colorado Ski Country USA’s (CSCUSA) 22 member resorts reported a decrease in skier visitation during the second period of the 2011/12 ski season, which counts skier visitation from January 1 through February 29.
During this mid-season time period, skier visits at CSCUSA resorts slipped by 5.2 percent compared to last year’s same period number. For the 2011/12 season to date, visitation at CSCUSA resorts is down 7.4 percent compared to the same time last season.
Referring to unpredictable weather patterns that left sizeable portions of the state dry during much of January, Melanie Mills, Colorado Ski Country USA President and CEO explains,
o;While some of our members are having banner years, this is a challenging season for most of Colorado, and the US ski industry as a whole. We’re comparing this year to last year, when many resorts saw record setting snow.”
The industry remains optimistic having seen moments of stability and strength during the second period. “Our members had very positive Martin Luther King and President’s Day weekends,” explained Mills. “In January, conditions started to return to normal, giving resorts the opportunity to open more and more terrain, and by late February, we saw a dramatic improvement in snow conditions across the state.”
With more than two months left in Colorado’s ski season, CSCUSA resorts are experiencing favorable March spring break business. “Colorado is well positioned having received a good deal of snow during the second period, and resorts continue to offer that what guests are looking for: a superior product with added value and the world’s best service,” said Mills.
Skier visits are the metric used to track participation in skiing and snowboarding. A skier visit represents a person participating in the sport of skiing or snowboarding for any part of one day at a mountain resort.
About Colorado Ski Country USA
Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) is the not-for-profit trade association representing 22 Colorado ski & snowboard resorts. CSCUSA is the global voice of the Colorado ski industry. The Association’s primary functions are concentrated in marketing, public policy and public relations. Information about CSCUSA and its members can be found at www.ColoradoSki.com, on Twitter @ColoradoSkiUSA and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ColoradoSkiCountryUSA. This release and other press information can be found in the online press room at https://media-ColoradoSki.com.
