Industry News
Vail Resort has been referenced as one of the giants of the ski industry for some time now. As one of the first resorts to accept snowboarders, its diverse and extensive terrain embraces locals and travelers from abroad all season long without fail.
However, it has recently found itself outside of the top 20 rankings for best ski resorts in the US and Canada, according to Conde Nast Traveler. Although the resort maintained its number 20 spot occupied last year in Ski Magazine, Vail may have an issue on its hands if numbers begin to drop.
The mountains surrounding Vail have stepped up in the spotlight in wake of Vail’s fall through the ranks. The neighboring resort of Keystone sits at number 20, Beaver Creek at number 17, and Breckenridge at number 12 on the Conde Nast Traveler’s list, ensuring that Vail Resorts as an organization isn’t losing its grasp on the industry. But Vail Mountain might be losing momentum as a hot spot for those in search of stoke.
Council members and Vail representatives seem to be butting heads in terms of viewing the drop in the rankings as worrisome. Council member Jonathan Staufer said that slipping off of the list was cause for some concern, he explained that he doesn’t believe that there’s anyone who works in the town or on the mountain that isn’t committed to the best experience for guests. But that doesn’t answer why this slippage is happening and whether or not the resort will suffer as a result.
Other representatives from the Vail Chamber and Business Association, Vail Valley Partnership, and Vail Resorts explain the drop in rankings as a possible issue in terms of public relations and that the resort has always strived to be the ‘best of the best. But, there doesn’t seem to be any indication that there’s been an impact on visitation or issues for Vail economically, so there doesn’t seem to be any grounds for panic at present.
