Page 25 - Early Winter 2014

ADDITIONAL FINDINGS per capita daily spending, lesson partic- the general U.S. population, with 56 AND TRENDS ipation, and rental usage. percent and 22 percent respectively Other notable patterns observed this making $100,000 or more. season included the following: Shifts in party composition The proportion of visitors coming Geographic shifts Continued (albeit slowing) with their spouse/significant other By place of residence, visitation this aging trend and/or other family members has season was up among residents of all A longstanding trend toward a gradu- been trending up in recent seasons, of the country’s nine U.S. Census ally aging visitor base persisted again consistent with the growth in visi- Divisions except the New England this season, although the trend appears tors who are families with children (-1.1 percent) and Pacific divisions to be slowing. Specifically, the aver- (noted previously). By contrast, the (-20.4 percent), largely mirroring the age age ticked up by 0.4 years this proportion visiting with friends had performance of resorts in the respective season, and the proportion of visi- been trending down for several years regions. Over the longer term, visita- tors aged 51+ rose slightly. This long- before plateauing more recently, con- tion has trended relatively flat over the term shift has in large part been driven sistent with long-term declines in the past decade in most Census Divisions by parallel aging trends in the overall proportion of singles, young adults, (albeit with yearly fluctuations), except U.S. population, particularly as asso- and children. Visitation with a group/ for the Mountain Division and inter- ciated with the Baby Boomers (ages club/organization or alone have also national segment, which have both 50 through 68 in 2014). The indus- been trending down slightly for the exhibited significant growth in total vis- try’s aging trend reflects positively on past several seasons. itation over the period. its ability to retain older participants; however, it also underscores the need Uptick in female participation Continued slide in to attract and retain younger par- The past few seasons have witnessed snowboarding ticipants—a prime objective of the modest growth in the proportion of The proportion of visitors on snow- Model for Growth, Learn to Ski and female participation, which edged up boards has dropped from 29.8 percent Snowboard Month, Bring a Friend to a new high of 41.9 percent as com- in 2008-09 to 24.9 percent in 2013- Challenge, and related efforts. pared to the prior decade’s range of 14, while alpine participation has risen 38.9 to 41.8 percent. While this shift from 63.9 to 70.7 percent over the Ongoing increase in families is slight, it suggests a generally wel- same period. Given its strategic impor- Related to the aging of the participant come, albeit modest, trend toward a tance, the dynamics of snowboard- base, the proportion of visitors living in more even gender balance. The uptick ing participation have been explored in households with children at home has may in part be related to the increase detail at recent NSAA conferences and trended up strongly over the past 10 in family participants noted previously, in the Journal. seasons (from 31 to 40 percent). The as a relatively high proportion of fam- growth of families over time appears to ily participants are female (49 percent A plateauing of abilIty levels be due to a combination of net growth in 2013-14). The visitor ability profile has roughly across the 35 to 44, 45 to 54, and 55 to plateaued over the past four seasons, 64 age groups, combined with growth Increases in income with a mix of 44 to 45 percent in the share of visitors in these age Household income has been trend- advanced/experts, 42 percent interme- groups who are families. The growth ing up over the past eight seasons, diates, and 13 to 14 percent first-tim- in family participation is an important with increases in visitors earning ers/beginners. As noted, this appears to opportunity for many reasons, includ- $100,000 or more (rising from 45 per- mark a pause and perhaps an inflection ing 1) the chance to introduce more cent in 2006-07 to 56 percent in 2013- point in the previous long-term trend children to snowsports, which is critical 14), and decreases in visitors earning toward higher ability levels, which had to the long-term health of the indus- $50,000 or less (dropping from 30 led to more advanced/expert partici- try, and 2) the immediate economic to 19 percent over the same period). pants and fewer intermediates and first- benefits associated with family visitors, Snowsports participants continue to timers/beginners. The plateauing of including families’ comparatively high skew significantly more affluent than the ability profile may be related to the EARLY WINTER 2014 | NSAA Journal | 23 w w w.nsaa. org NSAA Early Winter 2014 prepressed v5b.indd 23 10/29/14 6:07 PM