The hottest topic to come out of the National Skier/Boarder Opinion Survey in recent years is the skier/snowboarder mix. While skiers still dominate the downhill activity category, they continue to lose ground to snowboarders. But the preliminary results—taken from more than 16,000 surveys conducted this past season at approximately 40 U.S. resorts—shows the customary double-digit growth in snowboarding that so strongly dominated the participation trend the past three years is slowing. However, significant increases continue to be seen in the percentage of convert snowboarders who have forsaken their skis and in the youth market currently fueling the snowboard sector. Despite the growth in snowboarding, there does not appear to be any net growth in overall snowsports participation.
Prior to 1997, the opinion survey found that snowboard participation grew between 50 and 60 percent per year. By 1997, 27 percent of all downhillers said they also snowboarded. In 1998, the significant growth in the number of adult downhillers who snowboard practically came to a screeching halt as 29 percent of them said they snowboarded, reflecting a 7-percent growth rate from the year before. In 1999, 30 percent of downhillers said they also snowboard (up 3 percent) and this season, 35 percent said they snowboard (up 17 percent).
This growth, though it has slowed to a gradual rate, clearly comes from the youth market (ages 16 to 24), 60 percent of whom say they snowboard and ski. Of this age group, 17 percent snowboard exclusively. As this segment grows in size, so will the number of snowboarders. But while general participant growth in snowboarding has slowed, the group of exclusive riders continues to increase.
This year, 8 percent of all downhillers said they ditched their skis to snowboard exclusively. This is a 33 percent increase from the 1999 segment of 6 percent. And, as these are people from a demographic with significant buying power, this commitment to snowboarding is feeding the significant sales of snowboards as reported in the Snowsports Industries America retail audit conducted by Leisure Trends.
Younger children are also helping to feed this snowboard growth. While we don’t interview children younger than 16, in 1997, we started asking parents what sports their children participated in. In 1997, 20 percent of all children of snowsports participants under the age of 16 snowboarded. In the course of four years, snowboarding among children under 16 jumped to 67 percent; 75 percent of whom snowboard only.
But these numbers didn’t translate into active snowboarders on the slopes. We asked a second question regarding what activity downhillers were participating in on the day they were interviewed, and 79 percent said they were skiing while 21 percent said they were snowboarding. Of the 16-to-24-year-old population, 56 percent were skiing and 44 percent were snowboarding.
The main reasons total snowboarding numbers don’t directly translate into active participants have to do with crossovers and ability levels. Seventy-seven percent of all snowboarders said they still ski (71 percent of 16- to 24-year-olds). In many cases, these snowboarders who also ski were just learning how to snowboard so they still felt more comfortable on their skis. This season, 11 percent of them were snowboarding for the first time. Another 40 percent indicated that they were novice, beginner or low-intermediate snowboarders. Compare these numbers to skier ability levels of 3 percent first-timers and 27 percent in the novice through low intermediate categories and it’s clear there’s great opportunity for more snowboard conversions. If these neophyte snowboarders become passionate about their new sport, we can expect healthy increases in the activity.
Demographics
Because of its sheer size, the baby boom market continues to dominate the demographic category. The youngest segment of the adult category—over age 16—are the leading edge of the echo boom, the baby boomers’ kids. And because the bulk of the echo boom generation is between the ages of 6 and 12, the family market continues to grow.
This is significant because age is the cornerstone on which all other demographic variables are built. In the early and mid 1990s, the ski industry saw the beginning of the aging of its largest group of customers. Along with these aging baby boomers came increases in the number of families that ski and a corresponding hike in their incomes. As these families continue to age and grow more sophisticated, greater demands will be made on their leisure time.
Beginning in 1998, the average age of adult downhillers began declining. Apparently, the cause of the drop in average age was an increase of young adults (ages 16 to 19) on the slopes. From 1997 to 1998, this segment grew 50 percent from 6 percent to 9 percent. The 1999 season saw another bump in these young adults from 9 percent to 12 percent. This year’s figure is at 10 percent. Indications are that echo boomers, who are strongly influencing the American lifestyle and choices for leisure time, are also increasing their presence on the slopes. And because the bulk of the echo boom won’t turn 16 for another six years, look for this figure to continue to grow.
This is not to say, however, that all marketing efforts should be turned toward today’s and tomorrow’s youth. This season, a hefty 46 percent of adults on the slopes were baby boomers and 56 percent of them brought their children with them. These boomers and their children continue to feed the growth in the family market.
The percentage of all parents (not just baby boomers) who bring their children on ski trips has increased significantly. In 1994, 82 percent of parents who had children younger than 16 indicated that their children skied or rode, yet only 57 percent brought their children to the slopes that day. This season, parents indicated that 99 percent of their under-16 children ski or ride and, more significantly, 74 percent brought them skiing or snowboarding on the day of the survey. This phenomenon has to do with the aging of the echo boom. Most of them are now older than 5, an age when parents say they feel comfortable introducing kids to snowsports. Currently, 30 percent of the total adult downhill population has children under the age of 16 and 26 percent of all adults had these children with them.
The number of female skiers and snowboarders has ranged between 41 percent and 46 percent in the past seven years. This season, the ratio is at 41 percent. That share is even lower (39 percent) among younger women—ages 16 to 24. And, only 38 percent of the single-no-kids demographic is female. As we have seen in the past, the percentage of females declines after the age of 45.
While numbers of women skiers and riders increase to nearly 44 percent among overnight visitors at resorts, they drop to less than 38 percent for day skiers and riders. The decline in women visitors should be taken to heart by the snowsports industry. In activity studies we’ve recently conducted, those sports that attract women show the highest growth in participants while those that show declines in female participants experience the largest overall declines.
As the average age of skiers and riders has dropped over the last few years, the percentage of singles has increased to 47 percent from a low of 43 percent in the 1996 and 1997 seasons. Income has not dropped with age, however, as median income has increased to $84,000.
| Age segments | 2000 | 1997 | 1993 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average age | 37 | 39 | 35 |
| 16-24 year olds | 23 percent | 16 percent | 23 percent |
| 25-34 year olds | 21 percent | 21 percent | 28 percent |
| 35-54 year olds | 46 percent | 50 percent | 43 percent |
| Parents traveling with young children | 74 percent | 71 percent | 57 percent |
| Median incomes | $84,000 | $72,000 | $56,000 |
Other Habits
Combine that steady median income with an increase in returning customers and things are bound to look good. The percentage of repeat visitors to resorts has steadily increased from 66 percent in 1993 to 77 percent this season. While that is good news, the downside is that new visitors to resorts fell from 34 percent in 1993 to 23 percent this season. Nearly 5 percent of downhillers came to the slopes by themselves this year and 13 percent came in groups of 11 or more. The average size of a skier or snowboarder party was four. These figures remain fairly constant over the years. There is small but steady growth in the percentage coming with family members from 54 percent in 1996 to 61 percent this season—no surprise given the earlier figures on demographics.
Skiers and riders spent a median of 10 days on the slopes per season; snowboarders alone spent closer to 15 days on the slopes but skiers, whose numbers tipped the scales, skied just under 10 days. These figures have fluctuated by a day over the last few years.
The median expenditure per trip was $250. Day trippers spent approximately $75 and the visitor who stayed three or more nights spent about $800. This included transportation, lodging, food, lift tickets and all miscellaneous expenditures. About 26 percent of downhillers rented equipment for their trip, a figure that’s down from 31 percent in 1998 and 1999. Dining out (48 percent), shopping (37 percent) and hot tubbing (33 percent) continue to be the most popular off-slope activities.
Marketing
When asked what sources of information were most influential for their trip, 17 percent of sliders picked the area’s Website and 14 percent mentioned the resort’s brochure. For the past two seasons, the ski area’s Website has been ranked above the area’s brochure as an influential source of information. This season, 92 percent of all skiers and riders said they have access to the Internet. And of those with access, 66 percent accessed the Website of the resort they were visiting; 68 percent accessed another area’s website.
Despite the advertising and promotions resorts do, ease of getting to the resort (32 percent), friends (30 percent) and previous experiences (24 percent) were the top reasons for choosing to visit a resort. Package promotions, lift ticket price and a resort discount program each received about 6 percent of mentions.
Looking into the Future
Based solely on age, the demographic forecast is predictable if you follow the two major generational waves: baby boomers and their echo boom children. These two generations will continue to be a force in the family market through 2010. At that time, most echo boomers will be in their young-adult years and will affect the general population in much the same way their parents did in the 1970s. Whether they ski or snowboard will probably depend on how effectively the industry captures their interest as these young adults face a myriad of leisure activities vying for their time. More baby boomers, however, will eventually become empty nesters and have time and money on their hands in the future. Clearly, appealing to older females will be key to keeping the aging boomers on the slopes.
The problem is we cannot base predictions solely on age. Economic, social, psychological and a multitude of other factors come into play in determining what activities people participate in. The bottom line is that people tend to do what they feel strongly or passionately about. We still do not fully understand what drives the passion for skiing and snowboarding. Based on flat growth in a booming economy and growing population, it could be said that downhill sports have lost their appeal. Until we pinpoint what drives people to (or away from) the slopes and act on this information, predictions become useless.
