Cost of skiing making it an exclusive sport
By Rob Lovitt, NBC News
Skiers and snowboarders searching for “the steep and deep” this winter may find that the concept has taken on a much less appealing connotation: The price of the sport is getting so steep that some believe it may be becoming the exclusive domain of those whose pockets are exceedingly deep.
Those with the means can ski in and out at the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch at Beaver Creek. Photo/LTN file
“You have the haves and the have mores,” said Douglas Quinby, principal analyst at PhoCusWright, which conducts market research on the travel industry. “When you factor in the airfare of the typical ski trip, the accommodations and the length of stay, you’re talking about a pretty significant penny.”
Coupled with lift tickets that can top $100 per day and clothing and equipment that can cost thousands, it’s not surprising that both the industry and its fans are concerned about the sports’ long-term viability for those of more modest means.
Skiing, of course, has never been considered an inexpensive activity, but the sport has seen a significant upward shift in visitor demographics in recent years.
Last year, 54 percent of skier visits, defined as one skier or snowboarder riding for one day, came from households earning more than $100,000, according to the National Ski Areas Association. That’s up from 48 percent five years ago, a 12.5 percent increase.
In contrast, visits from households earning less than $100,000 during the same period slipped from 52 percent to 46 percent — an 11.5 percent decrease.
The problem with the ski industry is that it has lost sight of it’s core mission. Not only is the cost out of control, but the entire ski package for a visitor is out of reach.
Skiing in Tahoe used to be an affordable weekend getaway. A tank of gas or an airline ticket, a hotel room for a night or two, lift tickets for a family of four, and meals plus a bit of entertainment at night might have run a family of four $500 if they spent freely.
Now, you can simply multiply that times 4-5 for a weekend, and forget about flying here – there’s no more air service.
Lodging is outrageous, lift tickets are equally outrageous, restaurants gouge you around the lake, and the skiing isn’t that great in a season like we just had or the one that’s underway.
The other wrong turn the ski industry has made is failing to go after the younger crowd. They don’t attract the younger crowd due to the expense of skiing, but if you don’t increase your customer base, you’re doomed.
The ski industry hasn’t “lost sight of its core mission”, it changed it! – places like Squaw, Heavenly, Kirkwood, Vail, Mammoth and even Homewood Ski Resorts have become real estate speculation ventures. The resort is an amenity designed to add value to real estate, like swimming pools, golf courses, and retail shops – whether anyone actually uses them is just a small part of the equation. And as family run owned resorts go the way of the dinosaur, it will only get worse.