Page 28 - 77834_NSAA_Batch

Figure 6
Equipment Type: 2007/08 – 2016/17
CONTINUED GROWTH IN HELMET USAGE
80% %72.9 %72.3 %72.0 As anyone looking out on the hill can tell you, helmet usage

70% %66.0 %66.8 %67.9 %70.6 %71.0 continued its growth trajectory this season, reaching 83.1
%64.4 %63.9 percent adoption overall, up from 79 percent last season and
43.2 percent in 2007-08 (figure 7). Helmet usage is highest
60% among children aged 9 and younger (97.1 percent) and 10 to
Percent of Respondents 40% %29.1 %29.8 %28.1 %27.4 %27.2 %25.3 24 (74.6 percent) and 25 to 34 (76.3 percent).
14 (90.5 percent), and lowest among young adults aged 18 to
50%

INCREASED SEASON PASS USAGE, ALTHOUGH
PATTERNS VARIABLE BY REGION
30%
%24.6
%24.0
%23.8
%23.7
This season, 38 percent of respondents owned a season pass
to “this resort,” up from 36 percent last season and 32 to 34
20%
percent the prior seven seasons. The Kottke End of Season
Survey results also indicate an uptick in season pass use this
10% %4.6 season, to 41.2 percent of visits from 40.9 percent last season.
%1.9 %2.1 %1.9 %1.7 %2.0 %2.0 %1.9 %1.4 %1.6 %1.6 %4.2 %3.9 %4.0 %2.8 %2.1 %2.4 %2.0 %2.1 %2.7 Trends in season pass usage have been quite variable by
0% region. As measured by the Demographic survey, usage of sea-
Alpine Snowboard Telemark Other
son passes has grown strongly over the past decade at resorts in
five seasons) to slightly more moderate experience levels, as well the Pacific Southwest (from 28 percent to 47 percent) and the
as the uptick in women (who tend to ski less than men). Rocky Mountains (from 31 percent to 46 percent). By contrast,
season pass usage has trended down slightly in the Midwest
LONG-TERM INCREASE IN FIRST-TIME WINTER (from 27 percent to 24 percent), and Southeast (from 21 percent
VISITORS TO “THIS RESORT” to 18 percent), while trending fairly flat in the Pacific Northwest
This proportion of respondents who were visiting the resort (38 to 42 percent) and Northeast (28 to 32 percent).
where they were interviewed for the first time in at least five
years (or ever) has trended up from 22.8 percent to 26.9 DATA HIGHLIGHTS BY REGION
percent over the past 10 years, while the proportion of repeat The charts on the following pages illustrate regional pat-
visitors has correspondingly trended down, from 77.2 percent terns from the Demographic Study and a handful of intelli-
to 73.1 percent. These patterns are consistent with decreases gence points from the Kottke End of Season Study. Resorts are
in average days skied and ability levels noted earlier, insofar encouraged to review the results in their region and to under-
as repeat visitors tend to be more avid participants than first- stand how those patterns might impact their own operations,
time visitors. marketing, capital investment, and overall decision making.

Figure 7. Helmet Usage by Age: 2007/08 – 2016/17
100% %89.7

%83.1 %83.2 %83.2 %83.8 %86.8

80% %74.6 %76.3 %60.9
Percent of Respondents 60% %43.2 %53.7 %30.8 %37.3 %41.5 %44.7 %51.3

40%

20%
2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17

0%
Overall 17 & under 18 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55 - 64 65+
Age
26 | NSAA JOURNAL | EARLY WINTER 2017