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Snowboard Visits Up Again At Resorts NSAA reports
shows twenty percent growth.
Edited by John Stouffer
(6-1-98)
(Press Release, June 1, 1998) Lakewood, Colorado-Snowboarding represented
21.2 percent of the total skier visits at resorts across the United States,
according to the National Ski Areas Association preliminary report of the Kottke
National End Of Season Survey 1997/1998. With this figure, snowboarding
showed a twenty-percent growth rate from 1996/97, and has had a compound
annual rate of growth of 20.7 percent since 1994/95. Total Alpine-resort visits in
'97/98 increased by approximately 2.5 percent to an estimated 53.8-million
visits, up from 52.5-million visits in 1996/97. Full estimates will be released later
this summer, after all the U.S. ski resorts close.
While the El NiŅo weather pattern was cited for everything from no snow to too
much snow, its effects are now somewhat clearer in the context of actual
visitation. According to NSAA President Michael Berry: "El NiŅo will be
remembered for creating inconsistent pockets of snowfall within specific ski-
area regions of the country. Fortunately, those ski areas located on the Pacific
coast and in Northern New England, in particular, had positive seasons, which
helped to lift visit totals.
"If it weren't for the difficult situation in the Midwest, with warmer than typical
weather, we would have set a national record this year," Berry continued. "All
regions of the U.S. were up except for the Midwest, which was down by more
than a million visits from each of the two prior seasons. Even if the Midwest had
an average season, we would have exceeded 55-million and set a record in
national skier visits."
In terms of projected numbers, the Rocky Mountain region set an all-time record
of 19.3-million visits, an increase of 1.9 percent over last season's record-setting
18.9-million visits. This total represented almost 36 percent of the U.S. total
visits. The Pacific West had its best year since its exceptionally strong 1994/95
season, posting 11.1-million visits, a 13.1-percent increase from last season
and a 23-percent increase from the 1995/96 season. The Northeast and
Southeast had a more modest overall gain of 5.9 and 3.7 percent, respectively.
The Northeast posted 13.1-million visits and the Southeast posted 4.4-million
visits. The Midwest experienced a lost of 17.3 percent, posting only 5.9-million
visits, the lowest regional totals since the Kottke study was initiated about
twenty years ago.
One of the major growth segments of the ski industry is snowboarding, which
continued its momentum through this past season. Based on preliminary data,
snowboarding represented 21.2 percent of the total area visits this season. Last
year, in comparison, the same respondents to the Kottke study reported 17.6
percent snowboarders, representing an increase of about twenty percent
between the two seasons. The Pacific West has the highest rate of snowboard
participation with an average of 30 percent.
Obviously, snowboarding represents a significant segment of the ski industry
not only in visits generated, but in lesson participation and equipment rentals as
well. Shifts are also occurring in the demographic characteristics of
snowboarders. Rider profiles are becoming more diverse, reflecting the
increasing tendency of traditional Alpine skiers to cross over and participate
full-time or part of the time in snowboarding. As individuals, snowboarders
continue to be more active participants, riding more days per season at the
resorts on average than do their Alpine skier counterparts.
The current rate of growth in snowboarding will likely moderate over time as the
proportion of riders increases, especially with the explosion of other new ski
technology such as fat skis, parabolics, etc. Nevertheless, the great variety of
new skis available, in concert with continued growth in boarding, holds many
intriguing strategic opportunities for the industry.
A skier/snowboarder visit represents one person visiting a ski area for all or any
part of a day or night and includes full-day, half-day, night, complimentary,
adult, child, season, and any other ticket types that gives one the use of an
area's facility.
There were 206 ski area respondents to the Kottke National End of Season
Survey at the time the preliminary analysis was completed. Additional
responses will be received prior to publishing the final report in July. The final
report will detail various key national and regional statistics and barometers of
the ski industry. For more information, contact the NSAA at: (303) 987-1111.
Snowboarders As A Percent Of Total Visits
Region 1997/98 1996/97
Northeast 18.8 15.1
Southeast 19.2 14.3
Midwest 23.4 19.6
Rocky Mountain 17.1 15.1
Pacific West 30.0 24.4
Totals 21.2 17.6
Skier Visits By Region (in millions):
Region 1997/98 1996/97
Northeast 13.133 12.407
Southeast 4.386 4.231
Midwest 5.905 7.137
Rocky Mountain 19.257 18.904
Pacific West 11.132 9.841
Totals 53.813 52.520
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