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lessons is very closely aligned with the percent change in from 37.8 percent in 2014-15), with a proportionate decline
downhill visits. in the share of visits from paid tickets (50 percent, down
from 52.6 percent). Comp/unpaid visits (6.3 percent of vis-
Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month/ its) and off-duty employee visits (3.2 percent of visits) held
Bring a Friend relatively stable as a share of total visits.

Nationally, 79 percent of resorts promoted LSSM through Among the regions, the Midwest posted the highest
special promotions or lesson offerings, stable from a year share of total visits from paid tickets (63.6 percent of total
ago. Resorts in the Northeast were most likely to promote visits in 2015-16), followed by the Southeast (61.6 percent),
the event (86 percent), followed by the Pacific Southwest Pacific Southwest (52.9 percent), Northeast (51.3 percent),
(82 percent) and Midwest (81 percent). Other regions were Rocky Mountains (46.1 percent), and Pacific Northwest
in the 57 to 79 percent range. Support was high for all size (43.6 percent). The proportionate share of visits attribut-
groupings (68 to 88 percent). able to paid tickets was down in all regions except the Pacific
Southwest and Pacific Northwest.
Lesson Encouragement of the Bring a Friend Challenge
was much less pervasive, with only 37 percent of resorts pro- On the other hand, the Pacific Northwest continues to
moting the event (also similar to the 2014-15 season). Resorts have the highest share of season pass visits among the regions
in the Southeast were most likely to promote the challenge (55 (48.1 percent in 2015-16), making season pass sales and renew-
percent), followed by the Midwest (46 percent), Northeast (37 als particularly important in that region. Somewhat smaller
percent), Pacific Northwest (33 percent), Rockies (26 percent), shares of season pass visits are seen in the Rocky Mountains
and Pacific Southwest (24 percent). (42.6 percent), Pacific Southwest (39.5 percent), and Northeast
(40.7 percent). The Southeast (31.2 percent) and Midwest (30.7
Visits by Ticket Type percent) regions have a much smaller share of visits from season
passholders. The proportionate share of visits from season pass-
On an overall national basis, the ticket mix was more holders was up in all regions except the Pacific Northwest.
weighted toward season pass visits (40.5 percent of visits, up

Figure 4: Average Days Open by Region, 2012/13 to 2015/16

OVERALL NORTHEAST SOUTHEAST MIDWEST ROCKY PACIFIC PACIFIC
MOUNTAIN SOUTHWEST NORTHWEST
AVERAGE DAYS OPEN
160 122
140
125
120 119
100 114

130
133
133

108
99

116
110
108

117
117
94

130
131
128

135
132
124
105

140
122
107
109

80 73
60 62
40

20

0

2012 | 2013 2013 | 2014 2014 | 2015 2015 | 2016

FALL 2016 | NSAA JOURNAL | 21