Europe, Home of the Real Skiers
December 17th, 2008Posted in Skiing Everywhere
When its time to put your money where your mouth is, that’s when we learn who the real skiers are.
Here in the Tetons, the tourism gurus are forecasting about a 25% drop off in winter visitors (skiers) this winter. Recently I read that advanced bookings at Vail are down 23%. In Aspen, management must be worried about attendance because they are discounting some holiday season lift tickets for the first time in many years.
But in the Alps? Mon Dieux ! Piste Hors reports that bookings in the French Alps are up 14% for the Christmas holiday period! Of course, a little early season snow there hasn’t hurt in enticing skiers to set aside their financial worries, but still, there remains a big contrast between the enthusiasm of the Euros for skiing versus us Yanks. Pitty.
With the dollar cheap compared to the Euro, effectively putting American ski vacations on sale before any other package discounts are added, one wonders why the Rockies aren’t being booked full by our ski crazy European friends. Couldn’t have anything to do with our country’s image and popularity abroad, could it? Perhaps our presidential election was held too late in the fall to be reflected in skier visit plans yet.
VA Loans commented:
Utah’s ski industry isn’t hurting at all this year. I think it helps that we have incentives like the Sundance Film Festival to help bring in crowds though.