What to Expect When Expecting a Recession

During a panel at the 2022 National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) Convention, former Peak Resorts CEO and 2020 NSAA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Tim Boyd declared that “recession and inflation” were his biggest concerns for the industry’s immediate future. Others appeared more optimistic about our ability to weather the current period of global economic instability. 

History suggests the optimists could be justified, so long as the weather cooperates. In the six decades that SAM has covered the ski business, there have been several marked periods of recession—including the mid ’70s, the early ’90s, and The Great Recession (2007-09). And in most cases, a good snow year helped resorts overcome whatever economic headwinds existed.