SAM Magazine—Grenoble, France, April 21, 2026—Global skier visits reached a record 399 million in the 2024-25 season, surpassing the previous high of 392 million set in 2018-19, according to the 18th edition of the International Report on Snow & Mountain Tourism, compiled by Laurent Vanat. 

The report was released today at the Mountain Planet trade show in Grenoble, France. It covers 68 countries with some 5,800 “equipped outdoor ski areas covered with snow,” 2,000 of which it considers “ski resorts.”

The 399 million milestone is a 7.8 percent year-over-year increase in visits and marks the highest visitation total of the 21st century. The report indicates that after a nearly 50 percent drop in global skier visits during Covid-impacted 2020-21, the industry has regained momentum, with most markets now meeting or exceeding pre-pandemic averages.

Visitation increased in all major regions year-over-year from 2023-24 to 2024-25, with many countries, including the U.S., Italy, and Russia, surpassing their pre-Covid five-year averages. For the second consecutive year, China led the rankings of ski areas outperforming their historic pre-Covid five-year averages. By contrast, Japan and Germany had yet to return to pre-pandemic visitation levels.

By size, major ski areas (of which the report counts 53) accounted for 22 percent of total visits in 2024-25, while large ski areas (687) logged 53 percent. The world’s 4,099 small ski areas netted 17 percent of visits, while medium ski areas (961) claimed 8 percent of visits.

The season-pass model continues to shape demand, though the report suggests it may be nearing an inflection point in the U.S. Meanwhile, globally, rising window ticket prices may be outpacing revenue per skier visit, putting pressure on yield. 

Notably, the 2024-25 season reinforced a growing decoupling of visitation from natural snowfall. Despite below-average snow that season in parts of Europe and North America, skier visits held steady or grew, supported by snowmaking, operations, and strong demand.

Of an estimated 150 million skiers worldwide, 33 percent hailed from Asia and the Pacific, 20 percent from America, 20 percent from Western Europe, 14 percent from the Alpine countries Austria, France, Italy, Lichtenstein, Slovenia, and Switzerland, 11 percent from Eastern Europe and Central Aisa, and 2 percent from the Middle East and Africa.