Industry News
Vail Resorts yesterday reported that total lift ticket revenue at its North American mountain resorts was up 3.7 percent from last year, but that total skier visits were down 1.9 percent.
“We are pleased with our results as the 2017/2018 ski season concludes, particularly considering the historically low snowfall across our western U.S. resorts for much of the ski season. Conditions improved significantly in March and April across our resorts which supported stronger results that are in line with our expectations,” said CEO Rob Katz.
Rob Katz also noted that the addition of Whistler Blackcomb to the company’s portfolio has been a boon for the company, as evidenced by the increase in Epic Pass sales over the past year, despite the acquisition of Whistler rubbing locals the wrong way.
The company wasn’t helped by poor early season snow conditions, and although ski school revenue was up 3.4 percent, dining revenue was down 1.4 percent, and retail/rental revenue was also down, 4.2 percent from a year earlier.
Looking ahead to next year, and the sales of 2018/2019 season ski passes, Katz said, “to date, we have seen strong overall results with continued growth on top of the record results we saw last spring.”
The full price of Vail’s Epic Pass, which includes access to Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Telluride and Arapahoe Basin ski areas in Colorado, is $899. And it’s competing against a similarly priced Ikon Pass offered by rival Alterra Mountain Co., which will include unlimited skiing at Colorado resorts including Steamboat, Winter Park, Copper Mountain Resort, and Eldora, as well as unlimited skiing at seven other North American ski areas.
