Several
factors contributed to the first period totals, most notably the
variable snow conditions and a few late openings. “First period is
largely fueled by in-state
visitors, and an unseasonably warm October and November kept many
Coloradans from tallying lots of ski days,” said
Melanie Mills, president and CEO of CSCUSA. “Snow did not arrive in
earnest until mid-December, but when it came, it was
in time for in-state and out-of-state guests to enjoy wonderful wintery
holidays at resorts.”
Ski
areas saw a strong holiday period with conditions more in line with an
average year. Resorts started the New Year reaping benefits of the
December storms, which
adds to the energy and excitement of skiers in Colorado and bodes well
for the rest of the season. “There is some real buoyancy in the
indicators for the months ahead: February and March hotel bookings are
pacing ahead of last year by 3.5% and 8.6% respectively,
according to MTRiP; Carnival and Easter are well-timed for ski
visitation this year and Colorado’s traditional snowier months lie
ahead,” continued Mills.
Colorado
has one of the longest ski seasons that often stretches late into
spring. “We’re optimistic that some of the best skiing of the season is
still ahead of us,”
commented Mills. “We are encouraged by early January numbers and spring
bookings, and our resorts are looking forward to an exciting and busy
rest of the season.”