Vail Resorts Posts $1.4 Billion Revenue in 2015

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30 September 2015

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SAM Magazine—Broomfield, Colo., Sept. 30, 2015—Total mountain revenue for Vail Resorts (VR) increased 11.6 percent to $1.4 billion for the 2015 fiscal year, fueled largely by a 10.1 percent increase in season pass and ticket prices and a 6.5 percent increase in total skier visits. The results also include one month of peak season operating results from Perisher, Australia, a purchase that the company closed on in July.

Among the year's other positive news: VR achieved a 5.1 percent net revenue gain in lodging, and a 29.6 percent increase in reported lodging EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization). The results were attributed to a 5.3 percent growth in average daily rate (ADR), resulting in a 12 percent increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR) compared to the previous year.

Meanwhile, the company reported that season pass sales for 2015-16 increased approximately 22 percent in dollars and 16 percent in units compared to the prior year period ending Sept. 21, 2014.

“It's encouraging that we maintained our growth rates from our early season sales. Our growth continues to be driven in large part from our efforts to move destination guests into our season pass products, with this segment representing more than three quarters of this year's growth,” said Rob Katz, CEO.

He added that the company expects season pass growth rates to decline through the end of the selling season, given marketing efforts to encourage purchases further in advance.

On a slightly negative note, there is some indication that the strength of the U.S. dollar has impacted international visitation, particularly from Australia. Katz told the Denver Business Journal that “there's no question the currency is impacting the bookings.” However, he added, “We have expectations for growth,” suggesting that the headwinds are not believed substantial enough to cause a drop in international visits.