The Risk of Not Investing in Tech

Summer and fall are when ski areas ensure the coming winter will be a success, installing new lifts, upgrading facilities, performing maintenance, hosting job fairs, launching pass sales, and more. It’s also when many large operators announce eye-popping investments for the next season and beyond—including a rapidly growing number of dollars being committed to investing in new technology designed to improve the guest experience. Case in point: Alterra Mountain Company and Vail Resorts, both of which unveiled big plans for the 2023-24 ski season in recent months, headlined by new technology.

Alterra is spending $40 million “for technology upgrades to better connect and streamline the guest experience.” According to the company, “Alterra is committed to utilizing consumer technology to ease and enhance our guests’ journey from booking to arriving at our destinations. … In the year ahead, guests will benefit from additional Ikon Pass app features, significantly streamlined booking and packaging options, new RFID gate technology at most resorts, and a more connected experience on and off the mountain.”