SAM Magazine--May 15, 2013--The winter season crossed the finish line with a positive outcome for mountain lodging in both western and eastern mountain destinations according to the latest data released by the Mountain Travel Research Program.* In the west, a slow start to the season was reversed with improving snow conditions and economic news throughout the winter and resulted in an aggregated 5.8 percent increase in actual occupancy and an 8.8 percent increase in total lodging revenues compared to the 2011-12 season. 

“After a shaky start to the winter season, the new year brought better weather conditions and increasingly positive economic conditions simultaneously—a combination we haven’t enjoyed for several years,” observed Ralf Garrison, director of MTRiP.

As of April 30, advance reservations currently on-the-books for the next six months, May through October, are up an aggregated 8.4 percent compared to the same time last year and overall revenues are trending up 13.9 percent. Increases in bookings are up in all summer months including the historically slow month of May, up 9.9 percent over last year.

“Currently, some of the more established summer destinations are now surpassing the all time records set last year during pre-recession times,” said Garrison.

*Data is derived from a sample of approximately 260 property management companies in 17 mountain destination communities, representing 24,000 rooms across Colorado, Utah, California, Nevada, and Oregon and may not reflect the entire mountain destination travel industry. Results may vary significantly among/between resorts and participating properties.