Grand Junction Blog

Colorado destination ski resorts are paying close attention to predicting the international ski tourist market. Aspen, Vail, Telluride, and Steamboat Springs are probably the four biggest search terms that an international ski traveler would use. However, that is akin to searching for ‘Los Angeles’ for information on southern California. The four major resort and identity names cited are a small part of the available recreation opportunities.

Mountain Travel Research Program tracks lodging occupancy rates in 15 mountain destination communities, representing 22,000 rooms across Colorado, Utah, California, and British Columbia. (How BC or California got in there, I have no idea.)

The short story here is that marketers who get paid to predict ski season markets hope to match last year’s reduced receipts. Some of that match of last season’s business came earlier this month when Aspen hosted the only U.S. stop for the women’s World Cup ski-racing circuit. The televised races were thought to have a TV audience of around 10 million viewers, much of that viewer base overseas. Foreign markets accounted last season for 21.5 percent of Aspen’s destination business.

Colorado winter reservations are up a bit for 2009 while lodging rates have declined. November figures showed occupancy was down 11 percent while reservations through Nov. 30 increased 27.9 percent ahead of last year. The six-month outlook is still 3.5 percent behind 2008.

We saw this observation last year, and here it is again: The cost of travel has consumers staying closer to home. The successful resorts will be the ones tapping the local drive market.

A weak U.S. dollar invariably leads to more international visitors, but recent economic turmoil in Europe might offset any desires to travel.

However, this 2009’s London Ski Show attracted many Brits looking forward to a U.S. ski vacation.

Read it here