SAM Magazine—Denver, May 18, 2017—Overall aggregated occupancy during the 2016-17 winter season—November through April—declined 0.2 percent, marking the first seasonal dip in winter occupancy since the 2011-12 ski season. In contrast, aggregated revenues were up a strong 7.2 percent, with double-digit growth recorded during the month of December. The data was released yesterday by Denver-based DestiMetric's as part of its monthly Market Briefing.

“The winter wrapped up as anticipated with this small drop in occupancy while revenues remained robust throughout the season,” reported Ralf Garrison, director of DestiMetrics. “Our attention is now fully focused on the summer months and monitoring whether this pattern of weak occupancy gains, or even declines, will continue and examining some of the variables that are influencing it.”

As of April 30, bookings at participating western mountain properties for the months of May through October are up a slight 1.2 percent compared to the same time last year with occupancy gains being posted in every month except June and July, which are currently down about one percent. Aggregated revenue for the same time period is up 8.9 percent. These are the same patterns established last winter, with occupancy remaining level or slightly down while average daily rate and revenues continue to climb.

Bookings made in April for arrivals in April through September were down 4.4 percent compared to the same time last year, with declines appearing in five of the six months. This is the second consecutive month that the booking pace has declined for the same period. “It is possible this slowing in booking pace is starting to reflect consumer reaction to higher room rates,” observed Tom Foley, director of business intelligence for DestiMetrics.

Foley also concedes that despite a mostly-positive economic outlook, other factors may have an affect on travel, “[V]olatile market forces including geo-politics, an unfamiliar style of governance in Washington D.C., and unpredictable summer weather are ‘wild cards' that can create shifts in recreational travel behavior. So, to some degree, we recognize that you have to expect the unexpected these days,” he cautioned.

“The summer season has been a reliable period of growth in the wake of the recession and set consecutive occupancy, rate, and revenue records during the past four summers,” recalled Garrison. “The coming summer is shaping up to be another strong one but it will be interesting to see if the equation between occupancy reductions and rate increases that persisted through the winter will continue into the summer."

• Previous
  Lookout Pass Expansion Plan Approved by Forest Service
• Next
  SIA Board Votes to Sell Snow Show to Emerald