SAM Magazine—Winter Park, Colo., April 13, 2026—Economic news conspired with abysmal snowfall and record-breaking warm temperatures during March to continue to drag down the 2025-26 winter season. Despite a weak booking pace, though, western mountain lodging properties in 17 resort destinations are looking at strong early numbers for the upcoming summer as of March 31, according to the DestiMetrics monthly Market Briefing from Inntopia. 

“Even though we still have one more month of winter to include in the seasonal data, the widespread early resort closures triggered by such challenging conditions mean that we’ve essentially reached the end of the season, and there is no hope for improved numbers as we run out the clock,” conceded Inntopia director of business intelligence Tom Foley. 

Actual occupancy during March dropped 12 percent in a year-over-year comparison to last year. The average daily rate (ADR) slipped 2.2 percent, leading to a 13.9 percent decline in aggregated monthly revenue.

Combining actuals and on-the-books data, occupancy for the full winter season from November through April across the West is down 6.7 percent with declines in all six months. ADR eked out a 1.3 percent year-over-year increase with growth in all six months except March, but aggregated seasonal revenues are still down 5.6 percent, with decreases in all six months.  

“Rate strength was a bit of a double-edged sword this season,” added Foley. “While some consumers found it hard to justify the rates considering the conditions, those that did travel paid a little more this year than last for their lodging, which helped keep the revenue numbers better. It is not necessarily great news for travelers, but it was important for mountain economies that depend on supplier revenue to drive their businesses.”

Bookings made in March for arrivals in March through August declined a sharp 17.9 percent compared to the same time last year. This is the second steepest drop in booking in the last 12 months and the sixth consecutive decline—attributed in large part to the unappealing slope conditions in March and April.

International winter demand improved slightly in March due to a modest boost in bookings by Canadians. Overall, bookings from international markets are down 27 percent year-over-year compared to last month when they were down 29.5 percent. Although there was some month-to-month improvement due to Canadian visits, international visits remain down a profound 30.1 percent for the season. International visits for summer are also down slightly but relatively stable. 

When compared to the pre-tariff period, Canadian visits are down 43.3 percent and western European visitation is down 15.8 percent.

All pricing terciles lost ground during March in occupancy and rate but were mostly balanced between the three categories—Economy, Moderate, and Luxury. Economy properties, up to $400/night, have been the most stable; these are down 6.4 percent in occupancy and 6.6 percent in revenue but have lost the least ground since November. Occupancy at Moderate properties, priced between $401 and $749/night, and the Luxury category at $750/night and up both sank lower in occupancy and revenues than the Economy properties.

Summer Continues to Improve

Occupancy on-the-books for May through October is continuing to see improved strength, up 4 percent compared to this time last year with increases in all six months. ADR for the summer is up a strong 6.5 percent with increases in all months. Growth in occupancy and rates is currently driving an early revenue gain of 10.8 percent.

Room nights for arrivals from May 1 to Sept. 30 are up a solid 6.5 percent over the same time last year with ADR up 3.3 percent. The stronger occupancy and rates are currently showing an on-the-books increase of $7.7 million or 9.9 percent in summer revenue booked during March.

“At this point, everyone is turning their attention to the summer months and hoping the strong early foundation we are tracking continues, as some pent-up demand seems to be playing a role in the strong occupancy and rates we’re seeing thus far,” said Foley. “That said, the rising price of gas as the summer season is getting ready to launch, the anxiety about the Middle East conflict, some lingering long-term price sensitivity, and an underpinning of worry about forest fires following such a dry winter could all have an impact on how this summer unfolds.”