Ski resorts are adapting marketing strategies to connect with customers emotionally and create long-term bonds. Along with advertising the usual perks and deals, resorts seek to spark connections that are deeper than skiing, aiming to be a ski resort that people can call home.

“Guests want to feel connected,” says Matt Petersen, vice president of marketing and sales for Palisades Tahoe, Calif., which is introducing a new marketing campaign called “Eight Peaks. One Story.” 

“It’s our way to say that this place is huge,” adds Petersen, noting that Palisades Tahoe is the second largest ski area in the country since the Base-to-Base Gondola connected the Palisades side with Alpine Meadows in 2021. 

As it’s grown, the resort has become a place with something for everyone. “Palisades Tahoe is big enough to hold all of it: experts on KT, kids learning on gentle terrain and travelers looking for something elevated,” he says. The marketing is intended to make that mix feel intentional. And “Love” is a primary part of the messaging.

In addition to this new wave of emotion-driven marketing, resorts are still leveraging timeless strategies to achieve connection, like partnerships and deals, as well as cautiously exploring new opportunities like AI.

Emotional Connections

Repeat business is the key to any marketer’s success, and campaigns like Solitude’s (Utah) “Where You Wanna Be” or Sugarbush’s (Vt.) “This Mountain Makes Us” aim to engage guests to make the mountain their own, whether through posting special family moments on the slopes (Sugarbush) or logging enough days to earn new 10-, 20-, or 40-day stickers or the 100-day belt buckle (Solitude).

Vertical feet for a cause. Campaigns that support a good cause and include gamification elements are also a good way to connect with customers emotionally. For example, Sugarbush’s “Descent to Rise Above” is a ski and ride challenge to raise money for mental wellness and resilience. 

Last year, 15,000 participants logged daily vertical on the Sugarbush and Ikon Pass apps with the goal of reaching one billion total vertical feet. The effort culminated in a $50,000 donation to NFI VT, a healing organization. “The social team did a great job of engaging our guests,” says VP of marketing and sales JJ Tolland, who added it was great fun with the winner of each day collecting some free swag at Castlerock Pub.

The Highlands feeling. The Highlands in Michigan designs its marketing around being the place to connect with family. “This is where families create traditions, and that’s what we’re built for,” says marketing director Julie Rogers. “Our marketing is about celebrating and reinforcing that sense of belonging.” The resort’s new tagline, “Feels Like The Highlands, Feel It For Yourself,” is part of that effort. 

Happiness at Cranmore. In New Hampshire, Cranmore takes a direct approach with its “Find Happy” brand campaign and plants billboards across the region showing images of skiers and riders on the mountain grinning ear to ear. The campaign “emphasizes the joy and emotional connections guests experience on and off the slopes,” says marketing director Becca Deschenes, who adds that it’s always been a family-friendly brand. “‘Find Happy’ will be the foundation of all marketing efforts through storytelling and consistent messaging across all channels,” she says.

Show the Story

As resorts lean into more authentic ways to tell their story and reach new audiences, they are creating videos and blogs to show what’s happening live and on the spot at the mountain.

“We plan to continue producing more videos and blogs, while working to provide more real-time information to guests across all our channels,” says Marc Lodmell, marketing manager for Solitude.

Making it personal. Alyeska Resort in Alaska has expanded its use of short-format video storytelling across platforms to capture live material, from first-chair energy to late-night storm cycles. “We’ll actively encourage and amplify user-generated content from guests, prioritizing raw, in-the-moment content that builds trust and community,” says mountain communications manager Bayne Salmon.

Salmon also plans to bring mountain operations, patrol, grooming, and snowmaking teams further into the spotlight. “Their expertise, commitment, and lived connection to the mountain give us a powerful storytelling foundation rooted in authenticity,” he says.

Palisades Tahoe is using a mix of video in its campaign this winter. There’s more short-form video that helps people plan their day, more behind the scenes with the crews who shape the resort, and more stories that show the emotional arc of a season. 

The “Love Letter from Palisades Tahoe” video is one example of a high production value piece that fits the resort’s strategy to connect emotionally with skiers and get them pumped to visit the resort.

Appealing to Target Markets

Ski area marketers believe that a good first impression for beginners and younger guests can create early, positive associations to cement brand loyalty before they’ve built comparisons elsewhere. In an industry driven by passion and tradition, earning trust early is probably one of the most powerful strategies a ski area can have.

Connecting to beginners. Beech Mountain, N.C., is focused on growing its beginner network. “We’re taking a very intentional approach to beginner outreach by shifting our marketing to feel more approachable and community driven,” says marketing director Talia Freeman. “Instead of relying on polished athlete imagery, we are highlighting regular people, kids, locals, and new skiers and riders so guests can see themselves on our mountain.” 

As part of this, Freeman says Beech is creating a video series that follows beginners and local families as they learn to ski and ride. “It shows the real process, the learning curve, and the fun in a way that feels honest and relatable.”

Alyeska is intentionally growing its new-participant segment, too. “We’re leveraging our instructional programs, turnkey rental experience and approachable terrain for early skill development,” says Salmon. “Our strategy is to position Alyeska as both a bucket-list destination for seasoned riders and a supportive, progression-focused mountain for those still building their confidence.” 

Reaching Gen Z. The push to reach Gen Z is a priority for some resorts. Sugarbush, for example, revamped its pricing strategy for that age group. The Sugarbush For 20s pass is back for 19–29-year-olds at a cost of $569 with zero blackouts.

At Ski Butternut, Mass., “We’re especially focused on Gen Z and Millennials who tend to ski less frequently than previous generations,” says marketing director Dillon Mahon. The area has increased its focus on social media storytelling to help on that front and to build brand affinity. 

Promoting Affordability

Making it easy to decide to go skiing by offering some good deals is a tactic many ski areas are utilizing—an especially valuable approach amid the headlines of astronomical lift ticket prices. And the deals often reinforce the feeling of connection.

“Butternut’s core message remains consistent: Butternut is the Berkshires’ affordable family ski area,” says Mahon, noting that Butternut partnered with L.L. Bean to offer $25 lift tickets on Fridays. “The partnership with L.L. Bean has been incredible. Their commitment to helping people enjoy the outdoors year-round aligns perfectly with our mission to keep skiing accessible,” he says.

And a new partnership this year with Ikon Pass offers Butternut as a bonus mountain. “Our partnerships with Ikon and Freedom Pass [added last year] have added value to our season pass by allowing pass holders to experience other great mountains for free or at half price,” adds Mahon.

Beech offers weekday and local specials that have helped “build a culture where Beech is a vibe that people want to be part of, and these offerings make it easier for beginners and locals to try skiing and riding in a low pressure setting,” says Freeman.

Is AI Helpful?

Given their focus on authenticity and emotional marketing, resorts are taking a slow and cautious approach to AI. It’s mainly in the background and used to improve efficiencies. Despite the potential benefits of AI, resorts are keen to preserve the genuine on-the-slopes experiences their guests value most.

“We use it to help generate reports, ramp up SEO on the website and create better meta descriptions,” says Holiday Valley, N.Y., marketing director Dash Hegeman, who adds that the essence of skiing and snowboarding is rooted in authenticity and passion. “The best way to showcase that is to capture it in real time, out on the slopes, with real people. Faking that with AI-created images and videos takes away from that sense of realness,” he observes.

A supporting tool. Salmon echoes that, calling AI “strictly a supporting tool” that helps Alyeska with small tasks like organizing ideas, drafting early versions of copy, or assisting with research. “AI can help us work faster, but it doesn’t replace our judgment, our understanding of our guests, or the real stories that happen on this mountain every day,” he says.

Cranmore has added the Get Ski Bot chat feature to its website and is partnering with Bland AI phone services to help guests get quick answers while reducing call volume. “These tools support our team, but they’re not a replacement for our staff,” says Deschenes.

Connection first. Ski area marketers are tapping into a deeper sense of connection through authentic storytelling to reach new audiences or to reignite the emotional bond that keeps loyal clientele coming back. It’s all about sparking that feeling of why they fell in love with skiing or snowboarding in the first place.