Last fall a snowboard retailer told me that his customers were getting older. “They are more interested in price than technology. It is the first time I have noticed that more of them look and act mainstream, and some are even bringing their kids into the store.”
Skiers and snowboarders are aging. But it’s imperative for the winter sports industry to make sure that aging snow sliders remain active, based on a 10-year analysis (1992-93 to 2002-03) of demographic data from the National Skier Opinion Survey (NSOS), conducted by the Leisure Trends Group, Boulder, Colorado. The survey includes more than 250,000 interviews with downhillers (skiers and riders) ages 16 and older.
Snowboarders have given the industry a much-needed shot in the arm, but the Baby Boomers (ages 38 to 57) have sustained the industry. Since 1992-93, Boomers have increased from 50 percent to 60 percent of the downhill population over age 16, mirroring the Boomers’ rise in the over-16 population in general.
The bad news is, younger generations are decreasing. Over the same 10 years, downhillers from age 25 to 34 dropped from 27 percent to 22 percent of the 16-and-over downhill population. Sixteen- to 24-year-olds declined from 23 percent to 19 percent. Among the latter group, 16- to 18-year-olds account for the lowest percentage—a worrisome trend.
We are not recruiting new adult skiers and riders at the same rate as in the past. First-time 16-and-older participants in snowboarding have fallen from 41 percent of the adult riding population in 1996-97 to a more modest nine percent in 2002-03. Among skiers 16 years old or older, the number of first-timers has fallen from 8.8 percent of the adult skiing population in 1992-93 to 2.2 percent in 2002-03 (this figure is little changed during the last four years).
It’s possible that more and more downhillers are starting before they reach age 16. The percentage of families who downhill, and the percentage of parents who bring their children to the slopes with them, has been rising. For example, in 1993-94, only 57 percent of parents brought their children to the slopes. In 2002-03, 76 percent of parents brought their children.
But the numbers also suggest that older downhillers lack the passion that younger skiers and boarders have. The percentage of skiers and riders who skied or rode in each of the previous five years has dropped from 45 percent in 1994-95 (the first season we asked the question) to 35 percent in 2002-03, while infrequent skiers (skied one or two times in the previous five years) increased from 9 percent to 23 percent.
Are winter sports beyond the means of the middle class? For some, yes. Median household income of resort visitors rose from $56,000 in 1992-93 to $96,000 in 2002-03; average household income in the U.S. is approximately $44,000. But it’s also likely that the industry’s advertising and promotions have not been very persuasive with younger people, who generally fall into lower income brackets. Buddy passes and other discounts make the sport affordable for this group.
Downhilling and American Culture
The 10-year NSOS figures are consistent with changes that demographers and social scientists have discovered about American behavior in general.
Baby Boomers are more active than previous generations. Boomers are not likely to drop out of winter sports in huge numbers over the next 10 years because they are hooked and will stay active. This will be positive for resorts.
But younger generations, who will determine the long-term future of downhill sports, are acting differently from their predecessors. Loyalty to activities and products is slowly vanishing. In a fast-paced world that requires constant adaptation to change, where technology, transportation and media make more things seem possible at less cost, Americans are trying more sports and activities. The decline in participation of 16- to 34-year-olds may have less to do with the price of skiing and riding and more to do with basic societal changes.
Young, physically active people tend to be experience seekers, or dabblers, who constantly look for new adventures and places to go; hence the increase in adventure travel and the proliferation of new electronic games. In downhilling, we see this phenomenon in the growth in backcountry and free-heel skiing.
But many core skiers and riders are interested in mastery of the sport and how to conquer the mountain. These are characteristics of information seekers, which is why information junkies such as managers and professionals are disproportionately represented in the skier population. The good news here is that information seekers become core customers: they continue to peel the onion after experience seekers move on.
In the end, this industry has an opportunity to sustain or increase visits for at least another decade by appealing to Baby Boomers (each year they have more time for leisure activities) and keeping them and their families involved.
At the same time, the industry needs to broaden its reach among younger Americans.
The Guest Editor’s Take
Not to seem disrespectful, but I could not disagree more with some of the points presented here. It includes no statistics to indicate how properly positioned resorts are running out of space, instructors and rental gear to service first-time riders of all ages. There is nothing in here that talks about the influx of minority groups entering our sport. There is no mention of the energy level that Gen X brings to resorts.
Why is this study not tracking under-16-year-olds? They are the future! That’s what has led the industry to record skier visits locally and nationally for the last few years. There is huge opportunity out there in all age groups and all ethnic backgrounds to sustain a very vibrant industry. Don’t get caught up in the numbers game, get caught up in providing the experience your particular market desires.
—Karl Kapuscinski, Mountain High
