September 10, 2009
SALT LAKE CITY – A struggling economy is turning out to be good news for skiers and snowboarders who live close enough to mountains that they can hit the slopes every weekend.
Many ski resorts are slashing prices on season passes and offering locals-only discounts in an effort to boost revenues from nearby metropolitan areas at a time many U.S. travelers are choosing to vacation closer to home.
In few places is this trend more evident than in Utah, where snow lovers can drive from downtown Salt Lake City and be in a lift line in roughly 30 minutes.
"It's a no brainer," said Nick Como, Solitude Mountain Resort's marketing director. "There's so many people down there that don't ski. There's a great market that's just untapped."
Labor Day is the traditional kickoff to preseason winter deals, with discount offers generally expiring every few weeks until the season starts.
Solitude, like many other resorts around the country, has begun offering new season ticket packages at reduced prices on the heels of a winter in which skier visits nationally dropped 5.5 percent in the 2008-09 season from the record 60.5 million visits the season before, according to the National Ski Areas Association.
The association's annual report said destination resorts fared the worst last winter, with resorts close to major cities weathering the economic downturn the best. Many Utah resorts noticed a dip in room reservations from out-of-state tourists, but an uptick in season passes purchased by Utah residents.
"Salt Lake feels really fortunate to have a large local population near us. A lot of our resorts are reaching out to locals maybe more this season than you've seen in the past," said Jessica Kunzer, spokeswoman for Ski Utah, the ski industry's marketing arm in the state. "A lot of the resorts are saying they've extended their early season offerings and discounts. ... The consumer really wants to make sure they get the best bang for their buck."
Read more at: http://www.skiutah.com/
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