A study of lift ticket pricing at over 500 ski areas in 30 countries worldwide reveals that prices have risen slightly at most resorts in Canada and the U.S. However, the 11-year low in the value of the dollar against major European currencies has brought lift ticket costs down by as much as 25 percent for visitors arriving from Europe—and raised them by a similar amount for Americans heading the opposite away across the pond.
The study, by British research company Snow Hunter Ltd., was run for the fifth successive year. It found prices were down for Europeans travelling to North America last year, too, albeit by small margins. The cumulative effect of two years of falling prices means savings of up to a third over 2001-2002.
The Snow Hunter survey compares the price of a walk-up, six-day window ticket, purchased at peak holiday periods (New Year’s week or a similar high season), at ski areas worldwide. The survey has consistently found U.S. prices—particularly those for Utah and Colorado ski areas—the most expensive in the world, but this year the gap has narrowed dramatically.
The survey also notes that U.S. ski areas typically have pricing down to a far more exact science than European ski areas. In Europe, many resorts have one price all season long; at most there will be three levels depending on the time of season. In the U.S., some areas admit to more than 50 pricing permutations. And, day ticket prices are often not published until shortly before they are valid because of competition between resorts. Many guests also book inclusive lodging/rental/ticket packages direct with the resorts, providing savings across the board on the headline prices—a circumstance far less common in Europe.
Ski areas like Vail also lead the world in innovative advance-purchase Internet sales with major discounts for skiers buying ahead, online. So in short, the top prices quoted in the survey are far less likely to be paid in North America than they are in Europe.
Without further ado, the world’s most expensive six-day ticket, at $497, remains the holiday-season ticket at Deer Valley, Utah. If prices continue to rise at the current rate, it seems likely that this will be the world’s first $500-a-week lift ticket in the next season or two.
By contrast, Iran’s surprisingly large and well-equipped Dizin ski area (it has several relatively modern gondolas and a healthy vertical) is the world’s cheapest destination resort, at just under $34 for six days.
The survey reveals, however, that while national pricing does follow trends on a global scale, there are many exceptions.
In the U.S., although prices tend to rise as you head West and to the most famous ski areas, some of the biggest and best known Eastern areas, such as Killington, have higher base prices than Snowbird or Steamboat. On the other hand, other Eastern areas, such as Hunter Mountain, charge less than $250 for a six-day pass—a price that is similar to major European resorts, thanks to the exchange rate. To add to the confusion, new resorts in the West, like Montana’s Moonlight Basin, are also more affordably priced than some Swiss and French areas this season.
Canada remains cheaper than U.S. destinations on the whole, with smaller resorts in Quebec offering remarkable value that in some cases beats even European pricing. For example, Mont Sutton, Que., charges a fee equal to about $170 for six days.
However, the fall of the Canadian dollar against the Euro over the past year has been less dramatic than that of the U.S. dollar, so this season’s savings for Europeans heading to Canada are less marked than for those heading to the U.S. This has reduced the differential in price between the two countries for European skiers. Whistler, for example, remains only slightly more affordable than most of the major ski areas in the Western U.S.
Another levelling factor when comparing ticket pricing is family deals. Snowbird, Utah, stands out as one of the world’s top value destinations for families because of its low prices for children. Overall, though, family discounts are greatest in Canada, where most resorts charge half price or less for kid’s tickets. Europe scores poorly for families, with children often paying 80 percent of the adult price.
Americans in Europe
Even with the exchange rate shift and the rise of prices for North Americans heading to Europe, Americans have not cut back on European travel. “We do not see any indication that travel to Europe has been impacted by the exchange rate,” says Richard Davidson, who heads up tour operator Ski Europe. “Our requests and bookings are up and our friendly competitor, Adventures on Skis, reports similar information.
“That said, however, it is very difficult to make any clear-cut inferences from year-to-year comparisons,” Davidson adds. “To a considerable extent, this season is a ‘recovery’ year following two very bad ones [in Europe]. Consequently, if the exchange rate had been more favorable, this season might have been exceptionally good instead of just improved.
“When considering the impact of currency exchange, it is important to remember that only 30 percent to 45 percent of a total package cost is paid in foreign currency (hotels and transfers). The airfare, other transfers such as car and rail, as well as operating costs and gross margins, together making up the majority of a package price, are all paid in local dollars. Consequently, even the current, rather large change in foreign currency rates has only a five percent to 10 percent impact on package pricing.
“Locally-purchased ski lift passes will certainly cost more, but the lower starting price of European lift tickets works to alleviate that somewhat.
“The real impact will come next year when this year’s travellers will spread the story of unexpectedly high local spending during their stay in Europe. I fear a repeat of the $6 coffee stories!” concludes Davidson.
The flip side to that coin, shockingly low prices for Europeans at coffee counters and resort shops in North America, could help entice more European visits—if U.S. security measures don’t put up too much of a barrier.
Plans by the U.S. Government to re-introduce visas for many Europeans (including the British who make up the bulk of the foreign ski market) as a security measure could scupper a boom in visits from Europe next season. To further complicate the visa issue, current plans call for charging $100 per visa and insisting that all applicants turn up in person at a single office up to 600 miles away.
More detailed information on ticket prices around the world can be found in The Snow Hunter 2003-4 World Lift Ticket Pricing Survey, $70 from Snow Hunter Ltd. Send email orders to [email protected], call 011 44 1463 741809 (just consider the time difference between your location and England) or fax your request to 011 44 1463 741802.
