Reservations and occupancy are on the rise at most major ski resorts but rates continue to fall, according to the latest numbers from the Mountain Travel Research Program.
Rates are down 9.5% this season from last. And last season’s rates were 9% lower than in 2007-08.
As of Jan. 31, the designated "halftime" of the ski and snowboard season for most major resorts, reservations and occupancy in mountain resorts were edging up but remained slightly behind last year’s already low figures, according to Mountain Travel Research, which tracks lodging at ski resorts in Western North America.
Winter occupancy measured from November to April was down 1%, a slight improvement from Dec. 31, when it was down 3%.
The best news, Mountain Travel Research said, is that reservations taken during the month of January for the next six months is up 9.5% from January 2009, the strongest pace seen in the past three months. January also saw a 2.4% increase in occupancy, the first occupancy increase in 14 months.
"It’s nice to finally be in a position to say something positive," said Ralf Garrison, Mountain Travel Research's director. "February and March are also looking good."
He acknowleged, however, that "at the end of the day, we are struggling to outperform our worst year in history."
