Utah Ski and Snowboard Industry Announces 2011-12 Skier Day Visits

The Utah ski and snowboard industry announced 3,802,536 million skier day visits during the 2011-12 winter season, down 10 percent from the previous season’s 4,223,064. The 2010-11 season was Utah’s second best season on record only a hair short from the 2007-08 season, which recorded 4,249,190 skier days.
Low snow totals plaguing resorts nationwide and the persistence of a wavering economy are credited for the decrease at Utah ski and snowboard resorts this season. As snow totals have accumulated well above the state’s 500 annual inch average the past four seasons, this year’s below average snowfall was all the more difficult for powder lovers to endure. Despite the downturn, Ski Utah is confident awareness and demand for the Utah wintersport product is headed on a positive trajectory. Utah skier day visits performed quite well in comparison to the national average down 15% from last season according to the National Ski Area Association.
"Utah ski and snowboard resorts did an exceptional job compensating for the lack of early season snow with a record level of snowmaking", noted Ski Utah President Nathan Rafferty. "Unfortunately, by the time Mother Nature joined the effort many consumers had already turned their attention away from skiing and snowboarding".
Ski Utah also observed that while participation in on-snow activities declined this season many complementary businesses, such as restaurants and shops, reported steady to strong business indicating many visitors supplemented their vacations with other activities.
For a complete history of Utah’s skier days visit http://www.skiutah.com/media/story_starters/utah-skier-days-table.
Ski Utah is the marketing firm owned and operated by the 14 statewide ski resorts that make up the Utah Ski and Snowboard Association (Alta Ski Area, Beaver Mountain, Brian Head Resort, Brighton Resort, Canyons Resort, Deer Valley Resort, Eagle Point, Park City Mountain Resort, Powder Mountain Resort, Snowbasin Resort, Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, Solitude Mountain Resort, Sundance and Wolf Mountain). The organization has been creating brand awareness of and demand for the Utah wintersports product since its inception in 1978.

Ski Utah Yeti Grants Powder Turns in August

Ski Utah, Eider, Rossignol, & Ski La Parva, Chile have launched the Endless Winter Sweepstakes on the Ski Utah Yeti Facebook page. The Sweepstakes aims to rev the stoke of skiers everywhere for many months to come with the Grand Prize of "Powder Turns in August".
Visitors to the Ski Utah Yeti Facebook page between now and April 20 will have the chance to enter to win an all expense paid ski vacation for two people to La Parva, Chile. The Grand Prize is valued at $8,500 and includes a week of ski-in/ski-out lodging, lift tickets, rentals and airfare for two.
Each of the contest entrants will also have the chance to win additional prizes by Rossignol and Eider. Week one of the contest, March 23-30, a winner will receive a choice of Rossignol Super 7 or S7W skis, or a MagTek or Diva MagTek snowboard. Week two (March 30-April 6) the winner will receive the Telluride Jacket by Eider. Contestants who enter at any point during the sweepstakes are automatically entered for the Grand Prize La Parva, Chile trip as well.
"Ski Utah is committed to making powder accessible to our consumers year round", said Ski Utah Content Editor Brandon Ott. "This contest demonstrates our commitment to that promise even in summer’s hottest month".
Ski Utah is the marketing firm owned and operated by the 14 statewide ski resorts (Alta Ski Area, Beaver Mountain, Brian Head Resort, Brighton Resort, Canyons Resort, Deer Valley Resort, Eagle Point, Park City Mountain Resort, Powder Mountain Resort, Snowbasin Resort, Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, Solitude Mountain Resort, Sundance and Wolf Mountain) that make up the Utah Ski and Snowboard Association. The organization has been creating brand awareness of and demand for the Utah wintersports product since its inception in 1978.

Utah Lawmakers Pass Resolution Supporting Multi-resort Connection

The resolution passed the Utah State Senate on March 5, 2012 with a 22 to 7 vote and the House of Representatives on March 6, 2012 with a 58 to 16 vote, and currently awaits the signature of Utah Governor Gary Herbert. SCR10, drafted by Senator Wayne Niederhauser (R-Sandy), contends that resort interconnect would enhance the ski and snowboard resort industry’s contribution to Utah’s economy, jobs and tax base. Ski Utah supports Resolution SCR10 and the concept of low-impact interconnection of the seven resorts in Salt Lake and Summit Counties.

"Utah is uniquely positioned to create a ski and snowboard experience available nowhere else in North America", said Ski Utah President Nathan Rafferty. "This resolution urges interconnection of the seven Salt Lake and Summit County ski resorts using best environmental practices".
Ski Utah, its board of directors and 300+ members are encouraged by this next step toward a multi-resort interconnection including seven of Utah’s world-class ski areas and further strengthening Utah’s $1.2 billion ski industry."Although widely seen in Europe, a connection of this scale does not exist in North America", said Rafferty. "From a marketing and skier experience perspective, this would be a game-changer".