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• Marketing
• Advertising
• Social Media
• Media
• Public Relations / Publicity

There's a lot to learn from the cleverly conceived and occasionally failed marketing programs of your peers. Add a comment   GENERAL   Best Ski Show StrategyBretton Woods, N.H. I’m sure dozens of resorts use this strategy already, but Bretton Woods nailed it last fall: it priced its ski show offer just right. It didn...

• NSAA
• Business
• Ticketing

A critical look at the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons, through the lens of the NSAA Economic Analysis of United States Ski Areas. Add a comment The annual NSAA Economic Analysis of United States Ski Areas abounds with information about everything from season length to ticket yield ratios to current account balances, all of which is “de...

• Snowmaking

Technology advances in both air/water stick and fan guns help resorts maximize production in marginal conditions. Add a comment The recipe for making snow is pretty simple, really. Take some water, mix with a little bit of air, refrigerate, throw into the air, and boom! You’ve got yourself some snow. What’s amazing, however, is ho...

• Marketing
• Food & Beverage
• Retail

The best brand extensions can keep resorts on guests' minds throughout the year. Add a comment ometimes an amber pour of fresh maple syrup is a reminder of a ski run. Sometimes the perfectly poured head on a lager beer brings memories of a quaint Vermont lodge. And sometimes, fig mustard recalls a perfectly manicured groomer on a sunn...

• Summer
• Activities

Killington, site of SAM's 2017 Summer Ops Camp this September, has developed a masterful plan for raising its summer revenues. Add a comment A few years ago, Killington, Vt., decided that the lazy, hazy days of summer were just a bit too lazy. The resort’s summer business, mostly based on scenic lift rides, golf, hiking, and mountai...

• Guest Services
• Finance
• Personnel Issues
• Resort Development

Resorts are finding new ways to use the Net Promoter System, applying it to employee relations and capital spending—not just guest loyalty. Add a comment The number of unique participants in our industry has declined in recent years from 10.1 million to 8.4 million. Today, 17 years after NSAA released its Model for Growth, it is cle...

• New Products

Fun and practical innovations, from summer attractions to Stone Paper. Add a comment  We’ve rounded up a variety of new products that serve diverse functions for ski area operators. From revenue generating attractions and management and marketing tools to practical applications, all could be of interest to ski areas large and s...

• Opinion
• People
• Management

Who Will Lead Tomorrow's Industry? Add a comment According to NSAA, more than 60 percent of the ski industry’s current leaders will be retiring in the next five to seven years. At the same time, the industry faces significant internal and external pressures: shorter seasons, the departure of the Boomers, consolidation, increased com...

• Industry Reports
• News

Aspen SkiCo/KSL Buying Binge, CNL Sale, Pass Programs and more. Add a comment SKICO, KSL TO ACQUIRE INTRAWEST, MAMMOTH RESORTSIn a span of only three days, two blockbuster deals took place that will consolidate some of the biggest and most popular mountain resorts in North America. KSL and Aspen Skiing Co. combined to form a new entit...

• Business
• Weather

It was a roller-coaster year for resorts across the country—and ultimately fun for most. Add a comment Despite some ups and downs in the Midwest, the ski industry roared back in 2017 with a coast-to-coast above average year. Nearly everyone got in the act. “We sent out more powder alerts than ever before,” says Sarah Wojcik, ma...

• Ski School
• Conversion
• Research

The results from two new programs aimed at getting more newbies into snowsports have implications for resorts nationwide. Add a comment It’s the fundamental question every resort and industry innovator has been asking: How do we get the non-skier/rider to not just show up and give it a try, but embrace the meaning of “I am a skier...

• Energy
• Business

Resorts have a hidden opportunity for reducing expenses through energy conservation. Add a comment Energy management is an opportunity for ski resorts. After labor, energy is one of the largest—and often most variable—costs of operating. Still, reducing your energy usage can be daunting. Resorts have a broad variety of energy user...

• Mountain Spy
• Customer Service
• Guest Services
• Ticketing

THE QUESTION: “I’M INTERESTED IN BUYING A SEASON PASS FOR YOUR MOUNTAIN, BUT I’VE HEARD THERE’S PASSES WITH OTHER MOUNTAINS ON THEM, TOO. WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW?” Add a comment The proliferation of different season pass products, many of which include access to entirely unaffiliated resorts, can be confusing for consumers—...

• News
• Opinion
• Resort Development
• Business

CONSOLIDATION CONUNDRUM: Perspective and views on the recent mega-mergers and what it all means for resorts nationwide. Add a comment  THE CONSOLIDATION CONUNDRUM The decades-long trend of resort ownership consolidation recently kicked into high gear (see reports on Mammoth and Intrawest purchases).  What it means for the f...