FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Jennifer Rudolph, 303.866.9712, Jennifer@ColoradoSki.com
Nick Bohnenkamp, 303.866.9724, Nick@ColoradoSki.com
SKI SEASON SNOWBALLS IN COLORADO
Colorado Resorts See Surge in Mid-Season Skier Visitation
DENVER, Colo. - March 17, 2008 - Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) announced today that its 26 member resorts have seen a better than expected increase in skier visitation through the end of February. In total, Colorado's ski resorts hosted an estimated 5,540,464 skier and snowboarder visits during the second period of the 2007-08 winter season, defined as January 1 - February 29, 2008. This is a 6.7 percent increase in skier visits to Colorado ski resorts for the second period and season to date, the industry is now within one percent of its record setting pace from last year.
"What started as a relatively slow beginning to the season has turned into one of the most memorable ski seasons for any skier and snowboarder who visited a Colorado resort during the last several months," stated Rob Perlman, president and CEO of Colorado Ski Country USA. "Even the locals are amazed at the magical combination of blue skies and fresh powder as an almost daily occurrence throughout the high country in Colorado this season."
CSCUSA attributes the up-tick in skier visits as due in part to the continual increase in international visitors. The Colorado ski industry's international marketing efforts combined with the weak dollar have made Colorado an attractive and affordable vacation spot this winter for international guests.
Another explanation for the swell in visitation for this period is the steady stream of snow storms that have been pulsating across the state all winter. Many Colorado resorts are experiencing record snowfall amounts, which has prompted some ski areas to extend their ski seasons. With March typically being the snowiest month, Colorado still has a lot of winter left and numerous events are planned throughout the high country into late spring.
"Looking ahead and based on the superb snow conditions across the state, we anticipate the strong demand for the world's best skiing and riding to continue," explained Perlman. "The legacy of Colorado spring skiing will carry on through the end of the season with abundant snow, great events and classic Colorado sunshine."
Skier visits are the metric used to track participation in
skiing and snowboarding. A skier visit represents a person
participating in the sport of skiing or snowboarding for any part
of one day at a mountain resort.
