Summer bummer: Dude ranches lack dudes, dudettes
Charles Pulliam, Associated Press
July 27, 2009
Tom and Sue Murphy's dude ranch should be fully booked this time of year, their guests enjoying pastoral weeks of rafting, long horseback rides in the backcountry and evening hot springs soaks at 9,300 feet in the Rocky Mountains. Instead, there are few dudes and dudettes moseying into the Murphys' Elk Mountain Ranch.

Airlines hit by slowing travel increase fees
Hugo Martin, Chicago Tribune
July 27, 2009
In this tough economy, does it make more sense for airlines to lower fares to draw in budget-conscious travelers or raise rates and fees to boost revenues? There seems to be no consensus, judging by the news of the past week or so.

US Airways, JetBlue and Alaska turn profits, helped by fees and cheaper fuel
DAVID KOENIG, Associated Press
July 23, 2009
Three U.S. airlines said Thursday that they made money in the April-June quarter, the start of the summer travel season, with help from cheaper jet fuel and extra fees on passengers.

N.H. ski resorts report good winter
Staff Report, fosters.com
July 13, 2009
The 2008-09 winter yielded another successful winter season for New Hampshire alpine ski and snowboard resorts. New Hampshire's ski resorts have compiled this past winter's visits and announce a total of 2,289,426 alpine skier and snowboarder visits, a slight decline of 3 percent from the winter of 2007-08, which set the state's all-time record for skier visits.

Rain washes away tourism dollars in Northeast
DAVID SHARP, Associated Press
July 11, 2009
Relentless rain and cool weather since early June have sent visitors scrambling home and washed away millions of tourism dollars across the Northeast. But the first 80-degree readings this month gave a glimmer of hope Friday that summer can be salvaged.

New figures show Arizona tourism industry 'clearly in pain'
Lynn Ducey, Phoenix Business Journal
July 9, 2009
Numbers just released from the Arizona Office of Tourism bring home the effects of the recession on the state and the Phoenix area.

Group issues report on NH ski season
Chris Reidy, The Boston Globe
July 7, 2009
There were 2,289,426 alpine skier and snowboarder visits to New Hampshire resorts last winter, decline of 3 percent for the previous winter of 2007-08, which set the state's all-time record for skier visits.

Canadian slopes saw 10 per cent fewer visitors
Brenda Bouw, THE CANADIAN PRESS
July 7, 2009
The number of skiers and snowboarders on Canada's mountains this past winter fell by 10 per cent year-over-year, a drop being blamed on poor weather conditions in some regions, the recession and an aging population.

The Soaring Cost of Car Rentals
MICHELLE HIGGINS, New York Times
June 28, 2008
WHILE the global recession has sent prices plummeting on airfares, hotels and cruises, it is having the opposite effect on rental cars.

Struggling airlines launch more 'a la carte' fees at fliers
Gary Stoller, USA TODAY
June 24, 2009
Figuring out the cost of his parents' recent trip between Dallas and southern California was a nightmare for frequent flier Thomas McDonnell.Comparing airline baggage fees and other extra charges was so difficult that McDonnell had trouble determining the most economical flight. It was so complicated that driving became a strong option, says McDonnell, of Austin.

Clear customers again must wait with the pack
Staff Report, Associated Press
June 24, 2009
Verified Identity Pass, a company that promised to speed passengers through airport security checkpoints for an annual fee, has shut down, leaving some frequent fliers looking for options to avoid long screening lines and wondering what will happen to the personal information they gave the company.

Summer Reservations at Mountain Resorts Showing Signs of Improvement
Staff Report, First Tracks
June 23, 2009
Data collected by the Mountain Travel Research Program (MTRiP) through May 31, 2009 has revealed that reservations for mountain destinations across the western U.S. and Canada are down 15 percent compared to the same time last year. The findings track with the results reported by MTRiP for the 2008-09 ski and snowboard season.

Airport Projects Delayed or Canceled
LESLIE WAYNE, The New York Times
June 22, 2009
At the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport, passengers are so scarce that a long-term parking lot will soon be turned into temporary housing for 900 horses attending equestrian games in the nearby bluegrass countryside. It is an apt image — going from air power to horse power — for the troubles that airports are face these days: too few passengers, too few flights, too little revenue. And to deal with these setbacks they have come up with a solution: cut every capital project they can.

U.S. travel and tourism spending down
Staff Report, Denver Business Journal
June 17, 2009
Spending on travel and tourism nationwide fell at an annual rate of 5.9 percent in the first quarter, U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis says.

Utah's skier numbers fell 6.5 percent last winter
Mike Gorrell, The Salt Lake Tribune
June 17, 2009
Utah's ski industry fell short of a sixth straight record-setting year, with the recession causing the number of skier days last winter to drop 6.5 percent from the previous season to 3,972,984.

Breck: more visitors but less revenue?
Robert Allen, Summit Daily News
June 15, 2009
Breckenridge is on pace for more summer visitors this year than last year, but the economic recession's impact could cause a moderate dip in revenue.;

Fares Are Low, but Airlines Are Trying to End That
JOE SHARKEY, The New York Times
June 15, 2009
Forweeks, airline executives have been gingerly asserting that revenue seems to have stabilized after the deep plunge in the first five months of the year. But they say they see no clear sign yet that things are improving.

Skier visits down almost 8 percent
Catherine Lutz, Aspen Daily News
June 12, 2009
As expected, a down economy took its toll on skier visits during the 2008/2009 season in Aspen and across the state. But it could've been worse, industry officials said.

Skier visits in Vt. dip 7 percent but on par with 5 year average
Staff Report, Burlington Free Press
June 12, 2009
Vermont's ski season weathered the winter, in spite of a sour economy and a temperamental climate. The Vermont Ski Areas Association announced Thursday the state's ski resorts recorded 4,068,696 skier visits for the 2008-09 season. The announcement came at the industry trade group's 40th anniversary annual meeting today at Killington Resort.

Colorado skier visits down 5.5% for the season
Staff Report, Denver Business Journal
June 12, 2009
Colorado winter resorts recorded 11.85 million skier and snowboarder visits during the just-completed 2008-09 season, down 5.5 percent from last year, Colorado Ski Country USA reported Thursday.

Court steers clear of Ariz. ski resort dispute
FELICIA FONSECA, Associated Press
June 9, 2009
The operators of a ski resort in northern Arizona hope to give patrons a better sense of when they'll open for the season and for how long. The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to refrain from hearing an appeal from Indian tribes who wanted to block expansion at the Arizona Snowbowl north of Flagstaff gave the resort a green light to move ahead with plans to coat the slopes with artificial snow for the first time in its 71-year history.

Vail Resorts see big drop in business
Mike Gorrell, Salt Lake Tribune
June 10, 2009
Vail Resorts' latest quarterly report offered more evidence of what a tough winter it was for the ski industry. The publicly traded company reported Tuesday that its earnings for the quarter ending April 30 declined 29.4 percent from the same period a year earlier. Earnings fell to $61.6 million, or $1.68 per share, from $87.7 million, or $2.24 per share a year ago, based on a 21.3 percent drop in revenues to $333.5 million.

Memorial Day travel should mirror last year's
Linda Loyd, Philadelphia Inquirer
May 21, 2009
Will more Americans hit the road this Memorial Day and through the summer, taking advantage of cheaper gasoline prices, low airfares, and hotel discounts? Or will the stalled economy, rising unemployment, and falling home prices outweigh the urge to get out of Dodge?

U.S. Airline Passenger Revenue, Traffic Fall Again in April
PAULO PRADA, The Wall Street Journal
May 21, 2009
Passenger revenue on U.S. airlines fell by 18% in April compared with a year ago, marking the sixth consecutive month in which the key indicator has fallen as airlines battle with slumping demand for travel, according to a major industry trade group. Overall traffic during the month fell by 6.3%, compared with April 2008, the Air Transport Association said in a release.

The Race to Provide Wi-Fi at 30,000 Feet
JOE SHARKEY, The New York Times
May 21, 2009
SOME airlines are rushing to offer Wi-Fi Internet connections in their domestic aircraft cabins, but none are talking about the space squeeze.

Lomanno: Demand is key indicator for upturn
Patrick Mayock, Hotel News Now
May 20, 2009
Just beyond the distracting lights of the Las Vegas Strip, Smith Travel Research’s Mark Lomanno told hoteliers to keep their eyes focused on demand. That metric, more so than any other, will serve as a bellwether for the inevitable rebound of the U.S. hotel industry.

Travel to U.S. forecast to drop 8 percent in 2009: Commerce Dept
Staff Report, Reuters
May 20, 2009
Foreign travel to the United States is forecast to fall 8 percent in 2009, the U.S. Commerce Department said on Wednesday, as the Senate voted to create a new travel promotion program.

Tourism in Utah increases
Jasen Lee, Deseret News
April 13, 2009
Utah is attracting more visitors despite the slow economy of the past year. The Utah Office of Tourism said Monday that the state attracted 20.4 million people in 2008, an increase of more than 16 percent since 2004.

Mileage Deals Spur Runs for Elite Status
SCOTT MCCARTNEY, The Wall Street Journal
APRIL 14, 2009
If you ever wanted elite status on an airline, now's your chance. And if you're worried about losing your top-tier status because you've reduced business travel, there's a clever way to keep all those perks -- provided you've got some time to fly.

U.S. saw record number of visitors in 2008
Thomas Frank, USA TODAY
April 13, 2009
A record number of foreigners visited the USA in 2008, thanks largely to an increasing number of Mexicans and Canadians on vacations or business trips, according to government reports. Half the record 50.5 million foreign visitors in 2008 came from Canada and Mexico and the other half from overseas, Commerce Department figures show. In 2000, nearly 60% of the 45 million foreign visitors came from overseas. The figures exclude Mexicans going only to U.S. border areas.

Growth of Eco-Tourism Raises Concerns
TOM ZELLER Jr., The New York Times
April 12, 2009
The globe's icy poles took center stage in Washington last week at the first joint meeting of those international bodies governing — or trying to govern — the ever-more fragile Arctic and Antarctic regions.

Airlines look to leave bad news behind
TERRY MAXON, Dallas Morning News
April 13, 2009
In 2008, a bad first quarter was only the opening act of a really rotten year. In 2009, airlines hope that a bad first quarter will be the last act of a truly horrible stretch.

Can Cuba cope with an onslaught of Americans?
WILL WEISSERT, Associated Press
April 12, 2009
A push in Congress to do away with U.S. travel bans on Cuba could set off a flood of American visitors to the long-forbidden island. But many wonder if a country where foreigners have long complained about lousy food, sluggish service and iffy infrastructure is ready for an onslaught of Americans unseen since the days of Meyer Lansky and Al Capone.

Region's ski resorts report increase in visitors
Staff Reports, The Tribune-Democrat/Cumberland Times-News
March 23, 2009
With ski season coming to a close, resorts in the region say that lift ticket sales rose over the winter. It was really a strange year. Our lift ticket sales were probably up 35 percent, said Doug Houck, in his first year as general manager at Blue Knob All Seasons Resort.

Land swap between state, federal government expands ski area
PAULA TRACY, New Hampshire Union Leader
March 23, 2009
A land exchange occurred Friday between the state and federal government which will allow Mittersill ski area to be joined in ownership with state-owned Cannon in Franconia Notch. In exchange, the U.S. Forest Service acquired the 244-acre Sentinel State Park in Piermont. It includes a one-quarter mile section of the Appalachian Trail.

Bill would expand summer offerings at ski areas
JOAN LOWY, Associated Press Writer
March 16, 2009
Congress is stepping into a dispute between environmentalists and the ski industry over whether ski areas should be able to expand their summertime recreation, a move critics say could allow them to build amusement parks. Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colorado, introduced a bill Monday that would allow ski areas to offer year-round recreation on land they lease from the U.S. Forest Service. Mountain biking, alpine slides and zip-lines that whiz people above forests and valleys are among the more common summertime activities pursued by ski resorts.

Ski towns target spring break travelers with deals
Catherine Tsai, AP Business Writer
March 16, 2009
With the busy spring break season peaking, ski town businesses and resorts are promoting deals to try to juice business that has slipped in the recession. The Tyrolean Lodge in Aspen is advertising rooms starting at $195 a night for the week of March 15, but its website has a line saying, Recession Help Available! Please call. Lodge owner Pierre Wille said one caller was quoted a rate of $150 for one night.

Does cruise line’s viral campaign cross the line?
Anita Dunham-Potter, Tripso
March 9, 2009
In early 2007, Royal Caribbean developed a marketing strategy that used online bulletin boards to spread the cruise line’s gospel, so to speak. The company created a program, dubbed Royal Champions, that enlisted rabid Royal Caribbean fans who happened to be frequent posters on Internet cruise bulletin boards like Cruise Critic. Did its program cross the line?

Ski Montana: A resort report
PETER JOHNSON, greatfallstribune.com
March 9, 2009
During a normal winter, ski operators fret mostly about weather, hoping for plenty of snow before the vital Christmas holidays and maybe some snow, but not sub zero temperatures, in neighboring towns to get occasional skiers and snowboarders day-dreaming of the slopes. Last fall's financial plummet added a new concern, whether local enthusiasts and sometime skiers would shell out money as often for lift tickets if they're worried about the economy.

Tamarack to close down
EXPRESS STAFF, Idaho Mountain Express
March 2, 2009
Tamarack Resort, the ski and summer resort near Donnelly that opened in 2004, plans to shut down operations by Wednesday, the Associated Press reported.

Deep discounts for spring break travel
Eileen Ogintz, Tribune Media Services
March 2, 2009
Anne and Jim Stewart and their two teenagers are happily counting down the days till their Jamaica spring break. They're not rich -- or crazy to take a vacation when everyone is cutting back. In fact, they almost didn't go this year, says Anne, a Connecticut physical therapist. Yet, despite the recession, they didn't want to forgo the opportunity for some much-needed family time

Ski resorts toeing green's bottom line
RODRIQUE NGOWI, Associated Press
March 1, 2009
Brian Fairbank had tried just about everything to cut the costs of running his Jiminy Peak ski resort: he used recycled motor oil to heat its mountain operations center, developed more efficient snow guns, captured heat generated by snowmaking machines, even installed waterless toilets. Still his annual electric bill hit $635,000. So Fairbank decided to do what no ski resort owner had done: install a giant windmill to make his own power.

STICKY: Smith Travel Research acquires RRC Associates
Press Release,
February 28, 2008
Smith Travel Research and RRC Associates have announced that they are joining forces, effective immediately.

Montana tourism officials: $4 gas is a 'tipping point'
Staff Report, USA Today
February 25, 2009
Montana tourism officials say they learned something about the economics of high gasoline prices last summer: People cut back on travel plans when gasoline prices reach $4 a gallon.

Vail mulls parking fees for frontage road
Melanie Wong, Vail Daily
February 25, 2009
The Town of Vail and the state transportation department are discussing charges for the town\'s frontage road along the interstate, and the town wants to find out just how much drivers are willing to pay for a spot. Right now, skiers park for free at designated spots in West Vail, and along the south frontage road on days that the parking garages are full.

Ski resorts cheering heavy snowfall
Ross Sneyd, Vermont Public Radio
February 24, 2009
This week's storm left up to a couple of feet of snow in the mountains, adding to an already-substantial snowpack. Ski resorts say the weather has been a gift from the sky that has helped them get through the recession.

Utah ski resorts starting to feel recession
Mike Gorrell, Salt Lake Tribune
February 23, 2009
Great snow in December might have salvaged the important holiday week for Western ski resorts, but the recession has been taking a toll since then. New figures from the Denver-based Mountain Travel Research Program reflect the strain that rising unemployment and plunging consumer confidence have had on the ski industry and its partners in the lodging and hospitality sectors.

Travel industry scrambles to cope as Americans spend less
Marilyn Adams, USA TODAY
February 23, 2009
The sinking U.S. economy is forcing many Americans to cut back on or give up a hallowed tradition: the family vacation. A USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds that 58% of people who normally take an annual vacation away from home will shrink their vacation spending this year –– or just not go.

Marketing to Succeed in Difficult Economic Times
Madigan Pratt, Hospitality Trends
February 20, 2009
Every sector of business, including hospitality, faces momentous challenges stemming from the global recession. Occupancy is suffering, and all indications are that the deterioration will persist for quite some time. The latest Blue Chip Economic Indicators Report, a composite forecast of 52 economists, projects the worst recession since World War II with an upturn not beginning until late 2009. Some predict it may take longer.

Valet? Seat by the Fire? Join the Club
ALLEN BEST, The New York Times
February 20, 2009
THE country club has long been an American archetype of upscale social networking, white-glove amenities and, oh, yes, golf. Enter the ski club, in which a growing number of winter resorts are using the club model to attract members who prefer first tracks to tee times at sunrise. Think of them as country clubs with vast stretches of white powder instead of putting greens.

An Economic Bright Spot in New Hampshire
JOHN MOTYKA, The New York Times
February 20, 2009
ONCE again, people are talking about Bretton Woods. Not just the cross-country and downhill skiers who zoom and whoosh over its snow at this time of year, but thinkers around the world for whom the name signifies not a resort, but a grand economic agreement — the blueprint that gave a broken world a path to financial stability after World War II. For some, that Bretton Woods seems like the sort of thing it might be time to think about again.

Poconos ski resorts enjoy a 'wow' season
Michael Sadowski, Pocono Record
February 17, 2009
There is a great, big, four-pronged sigh of relief coming from the area's four local ski resorts after last weekend. Resort officials said Monday that skiers showed up over the holiday in droves, continuing the best Poconos ski season in years.

More Snow? Snow Enthusiasts Say Bring It On!
Staff Report, WTMJ-TV
February 18, 2009
Tuesday night, the Sunburst ski area was an active place and the snow hadn’t even started falling yet. The mere mention of frozen precipitation gets hard-charging ski and snowboard enthusiasts thinking about doing what they love.

Economy, weather give area ski resorts a big lift
Andrew C. Martel, Of The Morning Call
February 18, 2009
Standing at the base of Blue Mountain Ski Area in Lower Towamensing Township, it's easy to think: what recession?;

Travel Industry: This Is No Time to Check Out
Sholnn Freeman and Michael S. Rosenwald, Washington Post
February 13, 2009
Washington's attacks on corporate excess -- the private jets and trips to Vegas -- are prompting a backlash from the travel industry. Hotel chains, jet makers and corporate travel managers say they are fearful that efforts to curb excesses by firms receiving government aid will only add more pain to an industry hit hard by the economic downturn.

Deloitte 2009 Industry Outlook
Staff Report, Hotel News Now
February 10, 2009
After several years of healthy growth, 2009 is expected to be much tougher for the U.S. tourism, hospitality and leisure (THL) industry. The combination of a housing debacle, credit crunch and rising unemployment has placed the nation’s economy at or near recession – leaving fewer discretionary dollars available for consumers’ leisure travel and other forms of entertainment. Corporations, meanwhile, are implementing cost-cutting measures such as reducing employee air travel and scaling back or eliminating group meetings at convention hotels and destination resorts.

Changing travel one tweet at a time
Christopher Elliott, Tribune Media Services
February 10, 2009
There's a plane in the Hudson. I'm on the ferry going to pick up the people. Those words, hastily typed on Janis Krums' iPhone just after US Airways flight 1549 crashed into the Hudson River last month, marked yet another milestone in the microblogging revolution. Krums, a Sarasota, Florida, entrepreneur, posted his observations and a compelling photo of a half-submerged aircraft to Twitter, where it was seen by hundreds of people before other media organizations knew about the accident.

Snow buffers ski industry against crisis
Olivier Grivat, Swiss Info
February 7, 2009
Prospects look good for the winter tourism season, but the fallout from the global financial crisis could start to be felt next year, tourism experts have warned. Around 100 specialists from Europe and the United States, who recently met in the Swiss resort of Zermatt, found that while most sectors of the economy were affected by the global downturn, the ski industry was still solid.

Sponsorship plunges downhill for ski racers
Astrid Wendlandt, Reuters
February 6, 2009
Lindsey Vonn, winner of this week's super-G competition at the Alpine world skiing championships, is one of the few racers who do not have to worry about sponsorship in the current economic crisis. Sponsorships are becoming increasingly difficult to win these days as corporate supporters tighten their belts and scrutinize every expense.

Watching the numbers fall
Brent Gardner-Smith, Aspen Daily News
February 4, 2009
How far down are you, 8 percent? 10 percent? 20 percent? The question of just how bad business is, or will be, compared to last season is a common question between business people on the sidewalks of Aspen and other Western ski towns.And there are plenty of numbers from which to choose.

Economy won't stop the spring break party
Megan K. Scott, Associated Press (USA Today)
February 2, 2009
College students don't seem to be planning staycations for spring break. Bookings to popular beach destinations are strong, according to travel companies, and volunteering vacations continue to gain momentum.

Western ski resort numbers down but better in December
Mike Gorrell, Salt Lake Tribune
January 27, 2009
After a bleak November, ski resorts in Utah and other mountain states made it through the holidays in reasonably good shape, according to data from the Denver-based Mountain Travel Research Program.

If it snows, they will come, ski resorts find
Claudia Parsons, Reuters
January 23, 2009
Lost jobs, bankruptcies and home foreclosures have forced Americans to cut their spending, but one luxury sector is more interested in weather forecasts than economic forecasts -- the ski business.

A perfect storm seen for ski vacation week
PAULA TRACY, The Union Leader
Dec. 27, 2008
With back-to-back storms leaving as much as 3 feet of snow on snowmobile and ski trails in the past week, tourism officials hope a confluence of good weather, low gas prices and cheaper options to air travel will make this a banner holiday period.

Down the slopes
Gavin Anstey, Boulder Daily Camera
December 8, 2008
For the past 24 years, Joel Berman has taken a break from his job as a Texas physician to go on an annual ski trip with a group of his childhood friends. The past few years they have gone to Crested Butte for a week of great skiing and an escape from the real world. But with the global economic crisis, Berman said he may have to think twice about the weeklong trip to the Rocky Mountains if financial conditions get worse.

A Price to Pay When Skis Travel With You
2009 Ski Guide, New York Times
December 7, 2008
PLANNING on packing your skis or snowboard on your flight out to snow country this year? Be prepared to pay.

Town of Vail Targets Front Range Skiers
Staff Report, First Tracks Online
December 7, 2008
With the current economic climate spurring a sharp downturn in destination visitors that's looming over the current ski and snowboard season, the town of Vail and its ski resort, local merchants and hoteliers have banded together to target Front Range visitors from the metropolitan Denver area this winter.

Bumpy start to ski season as layoffs hit Colorado resorts
Joanne Kelley, Rocky Mountain News
November 20, 2008
Blaming a tough economic climate, resort operator Intrawest Corp. announced companywide job cuts that affect managers and other employees at some of its Colorado ski areas. The layoffs come as winter resorts across the state brace for one of their toughest seasons in years, with season pass sales and advanced bookings hit by a severe recession in the global economy.

Ski deals available nearly everywhere
Associated Press, msnbc.com
November 5, 2008
Mike and Pam Mathe have taken their two kids skiing at Beaver Creek over Christmas break each of the past five years. It's their one big vacation for the year, a luxurious respite from Mike's traveling, the kids' classes. No way are they going to let the economic downturn stop them from going this year.

Why do people come to Bend?
Jeff McDonald, Bend Bulletin
November 3, 2008
Knowing what Bend visitors want has never been easy, but the city's tourism-promotion agency is gaining new insight from the most detailed research it has ever commissioned. The findings will help the agency better target its marketing and advertising.

Intrawest optimistic
Blythe Terrell, Steamboat Pilot & Today
October 25, 2008
A day after Intrawest beat a loan deadline by refinancing, company officials Friday shrugged off speculation that the deal could hinder operations. Steamboat Ski and Resort Corp.'s parent company, which is owned by Fortress Investment Group, brokered a deal Thursday on a $1.7 billion loan that was coming due. Although one analyst suggested that the agreement would force Intrawest to cut services, staffing and hours at its resorts, Intrawest spokesman Ian Galbraith brushed aside that idea.

Snow trumps stock swoon
Bob Berwyn, Summit Daily News
October 14, 2008
While the gloomy economic news doesn't seem to end these days, ski industry experts are still optimistic about the upcoming season, provided there's plenty of powder. Looking at trends for the past 19 years, RRC Associates president Nolan Rosall said statistics show that skier and snowboard visits have been more dominated by snow quality, temperatures and timing of snowfall than by economic factors or consumer confidence.

Vermont ski areas report strong preseason sales
Staff report, boston.com
October 12, 2008
Despite the financial anxiety, Vermont's ski areas are optimistic about the upcoming season, with a jump in season-pass sales and reservations on track or above last winter at some resorts. Visitors are calling the Vermont Ski Areas Association to book trips months ahead.

NSAA Predicts Economic Impacts Upon Ski Season Are Likely To Be Muted
Staff report, firsttracksonline.com
October 10, 2008
A report prepared for the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) concludes that the effects of the current economic downturn upon ski season visitation will be limited this year, unless well below-normal snowfall affects many regions of the U.S.

3 Maine ski resorts oppose proposed casino
David Sharp, Forbes Magazine
October 8, 2008
Three of the state's biggest ski resorts are joining the effort to defeat a proposed casino in western Maine, saying a casino would detract from the state's image as a family-friendly place to enjoy the outdoors.

Park City resort workers in need of rooms for rent
Christopher Smart, Salt Lake Tribune
October 9, 2008
Housing in Park City is so tight that there may not be enough rooms for seasonal workers who load chairlifts, shovel snow and pour beer at Utah's top destination ski town. A new program is seeking residents who would open their homes to winter workers, many of whom hail from South America and Australia - college students recruited by Park City area ski resorts for an adventure during what is their summer off.

Snowmass explores housing needs in detail
Catherine Lutz, Aspen Daily News
October 7, 2008
About three-quarters of Snowmass Village households probably need some kind of help to be able to afford housing in this increasingly expensive resort town, a recent survey found. RRC Associates of Boulder, which has done housing studies for Aspen and Pitkin County as well, presented its findings from a recent survey to Snowmass Village Town Council on Monday.

Whole Travel launches good site at bad time
Rafe Needleman, cnet.com
September 29, 2008
I'm not sure if this is a service I would choose to launch this week: Whole Travel is a new site, launching Tuesday, that's focused on sustainable or green travel. Given that most of us are likely to have a lot less green in the coming months, I worry about the concept. Still, CEO Matthew Davie says the time is right to shift the paradigm of travel search. He says that his audience is not price sensitive, nor date or location sensitive. Apparently, his 29- to 35-year-old demographic with $100k+ incomes can come and go when they please, but these folks do want to be eco-friendly when they're traipsing around the globe without a care in the world.

Whistler forecast reflects slowdown in tourism market
Brian Morton, Vancouver Sun
September 30, 2008
The U.S. economic downturn is expected to result in a 15-per-cent drop in the number of American tourists to Whistler this winter, according to a Tourism Whistler spokesman.

Oregon Tourism Commission Unveils New Online Customer Service Training Program
Staff Report, Market Watch
August 26, 2008
The Oregon Tourism Commission launched its new free online Quality Care Customer Service Training Program (Q Care) this week on http://www.OregonQCare.com. Oregon Q Care is a training program created to support the tourism and hospitality industry through enhanced employee education. By emphasizing the importance of quality customer service, the training will equip employees with tools and resources to better serve Oregon's visitors.

Ski towns get attention at DNC
Andrew Travers, Aspen Daily News
August 27, 2008
If you’re looking to get some exposure, the Democratic National Convention is a prime place to be, what with 15,000 media representatives humming around town and all. If you have something to promote or protest against, this is a good spot to get noticed.

Fresh Powder for Ski Towns
Kris Hudson, The Wall Street Journal
August 27, 2008
Related Cos. has built signature buildings that helped to transform neighborhoods in Manhattan, Phoenix and South Florida. Now, the big-market developer is attempting a $3 billion redevelopment to transform this prosperous Colorado ski town. Related's efforts to revamp the core of Snowmass Village, seven miles west of Aspen, is among the latest and most ambitious of many projects designed to overhaul Western America's aging ski towns -- many of which were built in the 1960s and 1970s.

Winter travel: fewer flights, elusive bargains
Michelle Higgins, New York Times news service
August 27, 2008
Last year, Nikki Frahm, operations manager at Carlson Wagonlit Travel in Forest Lake, Minn., arranged a February vacation for a family of four to Ixtapa, Mexico. They enjoyed the trip so much that last month, they called Frahm and asked her to sign them up for the same vacation this year. There's just one catch: The vacation may be the same, but the price will not.

Economy a factor in ’09 ski season outlook
Bob Berwyn, SUMMIT DAILY NEWS
August 18, 2008
Matching or breaking last season’s record number of skier visits may be as much a function of the economy as of good snow conditions, according to some industry experts. The quality of the snow overcame deteriorating economic conditions ... including declining consumer confidence, said Nolan Rosall, of RRC Associates. We also saw some patterns that reflected peoples’ desire to cut back on expenses, he added. People still wanted to ski. But with good conditions locally, there were fewer destination trips.

Key Cards For DNC Hotels Made From Wood
Staff Report, thedenverchannel.com
August 18, 2008
Wooden key cards will be given to guests at 35 Denver-area hotels during the DNC as part of the convention's green push. Boulder-based Sustainable Cards has spent years developing a way to create the cards and is donating them to the delegate hotels in hopes of getting bigger contracts with those chains later on.

Good snow, local visitors provide a lift to ski resorts
Joanne Kelley, Rocky Mountain News
August 13, 2008
Abundant snowfall can draw skiers to the mountains even during a tough economy, but a new survey also suggests Colorado resorts are more likely to draw local visitors in the face of rising travel costs. Favorable snow conditions in the latest season helped the industry show resilience, given soaring energy prices, a mortgage crisis and rising unemployment, according to the Kottke end-of-season report prepared for the National Ski Areas Association.

With help from the Web, travel agents regain relevance
Michelle Higgins, New York Times News Service
August 13, 2008
Not long ago, the advent of online travel - allowing travelers to research and book their trips with a few clicks of a mouse - was thought to be a death knell for traditional travel agents. But faced with the increasing cost and unpredictability of travel today, vacationers seem to be returning to the fold.

Terrible Timing for a Hotel Boom
ABHA BHATTARAI and FRED A. BERNSTEIN, The New York Times
July 31, 2008
A record number of hotels are opening this year, and the timing could not be worse. High gasoline prices and a slumping economy have put a damper on leisure and business travel. Airlines have been cutting service and raising fares. While new hotels open, occupancy rates are falling across much of the United States. We're really on the verge, said Charles Snyder of Smith Travel Research, a firm based in Hendersonville, Tenn. It hasn't turned into a hotel recession just yet, but we're certainly keeping an eye on the economy.

Where Research and Tourism Collide
MICHELLE NIJHUIS, The New York Times
July 22, 2008
When Michael Soulé researched butterflies in this mountain valley in the early 1960s, the nearby town of Crested Butte was little more than a busted coal-mining settlement. You couldn't even buy a mug or a T-shirt, said Dr. Soulé, now a conservation biologist.

As Travel Costs Rise, More Meetings Go Virtual
STEVE LOHR, The New York Times
July 22, 2008
Jill Smart, an Accenture executive, was skeptical the first time she stepped into her firm's new videoconferencing room in Chicago for a meeting with a group of colleagues in London. But the videoconferencing technology, known as telepresence, delivered an experience so lifelike, Ms. Smart recalled, that 10 minutes into it, you forget you are not in the room with them.

Falwell, Jr. Announces Snow-Free Ski Slope
PR Newswire, Market Watch
July 21, 2008
A portion of Liberty University's 5,000-acre mountain range will be receiving a makeover in the coming months with the construction of a year-round ski slope known as the Liberty Mountain Snowflex Center.

In Idaho, Ski Resort's Promise Fades
JUSTIN SCHECK, Wall Street Journal
July 7, 2008
The real-estate downturn is taking Western locales like this tiny mountain village down a familiar path: from boom to bust. A half-century ago, timber brought prosperity that ended abruptly in the 1990s. This time, a luxury ski development called Tamarack Resort has whipsawed the town's 158 residents.

Americans change travel habits, but for good?
TONY PUGH, MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS
July 6, 2008
Transportation experts say the current gasoline crisis, which is driven by price, is far different from those of the '70s, which were crises of availability. In fact, many think that today's soaring gas prices will have a more lasting impact on what we drive, how we drive and our collective attitude toward investment in mass transit.

Despite uncertainty, the more upscale still insist upon traveling
David Sharp, Associated Press
July 6, 2008
High gas prices may mean fewer families will be headed to the beach or the mountains this summer, but rising prices likely won't be keeping wealthy people from missing out on vacation. Although their stock portfolios may be in decline, wealthy Americans who are less likely to feel the impact of a slowing economy and rising energy and food prices are largely going ahead with their vacation plans even though consumer confidence is at a 16-year low.

Ski resorts offering higher subsidies to airlines
Staff Report, examiner.com
July 5, 2008
Higher airfares and trimmed flight schedules could end up raising the subsidies Colorado ski resorts pay airlines to bring out-of-state skiers to town this winter.

Gas prices at record high, holiday travel down
Ruth Mantell, MarketWatch
July 5, 2008
As gas prices hit a new high Saturday, Americans were seen cutting back on travel over the holiday weekend.The national average for regular unleaded gas was $4.103 on Saturday, up almost 3% from a month ago and up 39% from last year, according to the American Automobile Association's Fuel Gauge Report. With such heady fuel costs, AAA estimates that the number of Americans traveling during the Fourth of July holiday travel period fell for the first time this decade.

Why hotels should shutter ad campaigns
Amy Bradley-Hole, msnbc.com
July 2, 2008
Hotels are feverishly upgrading these days, trying to offer faster Internet service, or better beds, or all non-smoking properties. But while they’re trying to make their properties more modern and appealing for today’s travelers, they seem to have forgotten to upgrade their ad campaigns.

What is eco-tourism?
Dean Irvine, cnn.com
July 1, 2008
From treks in the Arctic circle to luxury eco-lodges in Costa Rica, there are many types of vacations and holiday companies that like to highlight just how much they care about the environment. But with such a wide variety of activities and places that huddle under the banner eco-tourism, it seems almost impossible to tell just what the term really means.

Aspiring to Rate Rooms When Everyone’s a Critic
JOE SHARKEY, The New York Times
June 22, 2009
THANKS to the Internet and its spawns like Facebook and Twitter, everybody’s a critic. But not everybody is a good critic.

'Lost' Ski Areas the Topic of New Exhibit
Staff Report, First Tracks!!
June 3, 2008
The story of the ‘lost’ ski areas of New England mirrors earlier boom-and-bust cycles of land use in the region, and has left physical traces on the face of the land, as well as nostalgic memories in the minds of many skiers who knew the lost resorts. A fascination with the derelict areas akin to interest in ghost towns of the West became evident with the popularity of a website, www.nelsap.org, that tracks the phenomenon, and now a new exhibit at the New England Ski Museum features the history of a selection of the hundreds of small areas that have closed.

US to require online travel registration
DESMOND BUTLER, Associated Press
June 3, 2008
The United States said Tuesday that visitors from closely allied countries like Britain and Japan will soon have to register personal details online at least three days before arrival. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, who announced the changes Tuesday, said they will help the United States boost security of its visa-free travel program by allowing the government to screen visitors before they travel.

Overseas travel visits to Seattle jump 25 percent in '07
Staff Report, Puget Sound Business Journal
June 3, 2008
The number of visitors to Seattle from overseas jumped from 325,000 in 2006 to 406,000 in 2007, according to recent federal statistics. The 25 percent jump in Seattle was the nation's second-biggest jump in overseas visits from 2006 to last year, second only to Anaheim, Calif.'s jump of 42 percent.

Tourism Industry Association says 'urgent action' needed to halt decline
Staff Report, The Canadian Press
June 2, 2008
The Canadian tourism industry is calling for urgent action from governments at all levels, saying it is on the precipice of an unprecedented decline that could have an impact on jobs in the industry.

Wine Takes Over a Town, and Prosperity Follows
KRISTINA SHEVORY, New York Times
May 30, 2008
Walla Walla has always been best known for its sweet onions, wheat fields and a penitentiary. It was a punch line of a town with the funny name that wasn’t on the road to anywhere. Outsiders hardly ever came unless they were attending a college graduation or visiting relatives.Not anymore. After its wines — cabernets, merlots and syrahs — started winning high scores from national critics, Walla Walla leapt onto the lips of wine drinkers, gourmets and second-home buyers.

In the white: Ski resorts chalk up record year
James Paton, Rocky Mountain News
May 29, 2008
Ski industry executives are giving thanks for a banner year as heavy snowfall and a surge in international tourists outweighed the impact of a sluggish economy. Ski resorts across the U.S. attracted more than 60 million visitors, a gain of 9 percent from the previous season, the industry's trade group said Thursday.

Vail pulls out of Colorado Ski Country USA
Staff Report, Denver Business Journal
May 29, 2008
Vail Resorts has canceled its membership with Colorado Ski Country USA, the not-for-profit organization that promotes and markets the state's ski areas. Apparently Vail no longer agreed with the direction of Colorado Ski Country USA.

Logan sees drop in US travel in '08
Nicole C. Wong, Boston Globe
May 16, 2008
The slight increase in international travelers flying into Boston this year won't be enough to offset a drop in domestic passengers as economic uncertainties worsen for US airlines and customers, predicted the Massachusetts Port Authority, which runs Logan Airport.

AAA predicts a drop in plane and car travel
Tara Dooley, Houston Chronicle
May 15, 2008
Prices at the pump — and perhaps everywhere else — will keep some Americans at home this Memorial Day weekend, according to estimates released Thursday from AAA.

CU explores building hotel and convention center
Brittany Anas, Boulder Daily Camera
April 1, 2008
The city of Boulder's plans for a hotel and conference center are on hold as the University of Colorado considers whether it should build its own on, or nearby, the campus. CU Chancellor Bud Peterson launched a survey Monday, asking campus and neighboring federal lab employees how often they would schedule meetings, conferences, lectures or other events if a campus conference center were to be built. CU's study is being led by Boulder-based consulting firm RRC Associates.

Six travel issues likely to be ignored
Christopher Elliott, cnn.com
April 1, 2008
No matter who wins, you lose. Whether you\'re a Democrat, Republican or pondering a protest vote for an independent presidential candidate in November, what you do at the ballot box is meaningless -- at least as far as your travel is concerned. Sure, travel is a $740 billion industry, but it's a business Washington tends to take for granted. And one election isn't likely to change a thing, right?

Realtors Group Says Vacation Home Sales Down 31 Percent
Amy Gunderson, Halogen Guides Real Estate
March 31, 2008
Second home sales have taken a direct hit in the current real estate market slowdown, according the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) annual survey of investment and vacation home buyers.

Ski Resorts Hope for a Record Year
Associated Press, cnn.com
March 31, 2008
Forget baseball and spring flowers. The nation's ski resorts are all about deep powder on the slopes - still. Snow fell Monday in parts of the country including Colorado and Vermont, capping a bountiful winter that could lead to a record-setting season for the $6 billion industry. A year ago, resorts posted a 7 percent drop in visitors nationwide because of a fickle winter.

Growth, Parking Top Issues According to Residents
Gus Jarvis, Telluride Watch
March 27, 2008
MOUNTAIN VILLAGE – Out of the 364 surveys returned by Mountain Village residents, controlled growth and parking were identified as the two most important issues facing the town. The town received high marks from residents on the quality of the fire department, safety and cleanliness, among others. Chris Cares of Boulder-based RRC Associates, the professional research firm hired by the town in January to conduct the survey, presented the findings to a special meeting on Tuesday evening.

U.S. airlines brace as companies reconsidering business travel
Mark McSherry, Reuters
March 27, 2008
Recent fare increases and the weakening U.S. economy could hit the bottom lines of airlines in the United States as more companies are requiring their executives to fly economy instead of business class.

New Castle may be fastest growing town in Colorado
Pete Fowler, Glenwood Springs Post-Independent
March 23, 2008
Dale Gray remembers when kids walking around downtown New Castle with guns was no big deal. We could take our guns, walk downtown and up to the cemetery and nobody would think anything of it, he said. A community survey by RRC Associates of Boulder estimated the town’s population at 3,443 in 2007 and New Castle maintained an average annual growth rate of 8.9 percent since 2000.

Survey: Spending up slightly
Richard Valenty, Colorado Daily
March 3, 2008
Despite new competition and less-than-stellar national economic news, respondents to a summer 2007 Downtown Boulder survey spent more per person per visit, on average, than 2006 respondents.

Americans Spending More on Yoga
PR Newswire, Yoga Journal
February 26, 2008
The latest Yoga in America study, just released by Yoga Journal (yogajournal.com) shows that Americans spend $5.7 billion a year on yoga classes and products, including equipment, clothing, vacations and media (DVDs, videos, books and magazines). This figure represents an increase of 87 percent compared to the previous study in 2004 -- almost double of what was previously spent.

Amid perfect powder, a ski maker's conundrum
Astrid Wendlandt, Reuters
February 25, 2009
Snow conditions are ideal from the Alps to the Rockies, the backcountry is heavenly and the groomed slopes rock-free. Yet most of the leading European ski companies will report losses again this season.

Check out the latest trends in adventure travel
MEGAN K. SCOTT, Associated Press
February 14, 2007
Forget the tan, the Mickey Mouse photos and the cliche souvenirs. These days, travelers want to experience something more than the gated resort and the cruise ship buffet. They want to go on a walking tour, climb a mountain and kayak down a river — adventures that can make a vacation more meaningful.

US ski areas, other businesses cope with new limits on seasonal workers from abroad
Associated Press, International Herald Tribune
February 11, 2008
The bitter standoff in Congress over immigration reform is hitting home in ski country this winter. Vermont's Stowe Mountain Resort, for example, usually relies on about two dozen seasonal foreign workers as ski instructors. Not this year. Stowe had to do heavy duty recruiting for its ski school, including a first-ever hiring clinic in January, said human resources director Julie Frailey.

Experts: ‘Housing crisis’ has hit Eagle Co.
Melanie Wong, Vail Daily
February 7, 2008
It's official. Eagle County is in a housing crisis and can expect to feel the economic impacts in the next few years, experts say. The county needs 3,400 homes now, both affordable and market-priced, to address the current housing shortage, and more than 8,000 homes in the next decade to keep up with future growth, according to a recent study by RRC Associates and Rees Consulting, firms that specialize in housing analysis in resort communities.

Older skiers get fewer discounts
Joanne Kelley, Rocky Mountain News
January 26, 2008
Deep discounts on all sorts of goods and services have become a rite of passage for senior citizens living on fixed incomes and retirement savings. But as more and more folks attempt to stay active as they age, price breaks on the ski slopes have become smaller and smaller in recent years. A recent increase in the average age of skiers and a doubling in the proportion of those over 55 have resorts eyeing the segment as a major revenue source. For that reason, giveaways for the 70-plus crowd have almost disappeared.

Mountain Village to Citizens: ‘We’re Listening’
Gus Jarvis, Telluride Watch
January 18, 2008
Mountain Village Mayor Bob Delves has said that improving communication between the town and its citizens is a top priority. To help achieve that goal, on Jan. 8, the town mailed an eight-page survey to approximately 1,600 residents and property owners in Mountain Village.

When the Family Ski Trip Is What Brings You All Together
DAVID G. ALLAN, New York Times
January 11, 2008
“KATE can’t ski tomorrow.” That was how we told my family that my wife was pregnant last March as we all sat by the fireside the night before a day of skiing (for the rest of us) on Stratton Mountain in Vermont. That may be an odd way to share such news, but not if you come from a skiing family. It was our only chance to gather a quorum fit for such an announcement. As our lives have grown increasingly busy, and our homes farther apart, the family ski trip is what brings us all together.

The Maine Peak to Peak Challenge is on!
Carey Kish, mainetoday.com
January 10, 2008
The Maine Peak to Peak Challenge is on! This first-ever of its kind event in Maine is sponsored and organized by the Ski Maine Association. That's right, just a short week or so to go before a team of madcap skiers (yes, I'm in there) takes to the road to attempt to ski at least one run at every one of Maine's 17 downhill ski areas over the Martin Luther King Weekend, January 18-21.

Resorts Crack Down on Speeding Skiers
Good Morning America, ABC News
January 9, 2008
The country is in the midst of its prime skiing season and some resorts have taken a hard line against what they consider dangerous skiers and snowboarders. Some skiers, perhaps influenced by amazing X-Game exploits seen in movies, have caused havoc by racing down the mountainside at reckless speeds.;

Waivers can't stop skier suits
Pamela Manson, The Salt Lake Tribune
December 19, 2007
Ski resorts took a nasty fall Tuesday when the Utah Supreme Court ruled waivers can't prevent injured skiers from suing the resorts for negligence. Barring those suits is not in the best interests of society, the court said. The ruling will benefit both skiers and resorts, said Jesse Trentadue, the lawyer for a Utahn who sued after being seriously injured on the slopes at Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort in February 2003.

MTI Reports Positive Year Despite Bed-Base Challenges
Gus Jarvis, Telluride Daily Watch
December 16, 2007
Marketing Telluride, Inc. faced a number of challenges last year, including a bed-base shortage and diminished national skier visit numbers, but officials at the organization’s annual meeting last week reported the Telluride region still fared well with lodging occupancy numbers and group sales.

Pass sales, skier visits up at VR
Edward Stoner, Summit Daily News
December 10, 2007
Vail Resorts reported its customary loss for its first quarter, which covers the three slow months before the ski season starts. The Broomfield company, which runs Vail and Beaver Creek mountains, posted a loss of $24.6 million for August, September and October in its earnings report Monday.

Survey shows greener trend at ski resorts
Jeff Delong, Reno Gazette-Journal
December 4, 2007
A premier Sierra ski resort that seven years ago was raided by armed federal agents investigating environmental abuses earned top honors in an environmental scorecard released Monday by conservationists. Squaw Valley USA's A grade in the Ski Area Citizens Coalition's annual ranking is part of a trend of improvement, group members said.

Branding Montrose: Survey results to aid in community philosophy
Kati O\'Hare, Montrose Daily Press
December 2, 2007
The Montrose Visitor and Convention Bureau decided Montrose needed a “brand.” A philosophy which it and others could utilize, be proud of, and one that would identify Montrose on the map. The MVCB just concluded one of the first steps in the branding process by releasing the 2007 Montrose Summer Visitor Research results Thursday night at the Montrose City Council Chambers. After the group decided to go ahead with the steps of the process at its Fall 2006 board retreat, the group hired RRC Associates out of Boulder, Colo. Through a three-prong approach, RRC collected more than 1,000 surveys from visitors and locals.

Survey says well-heeled wine fans are boosting tourism
Associated Press, East Oregonian
December 2, 2007
Walla Walla is attracting an increasingly upscale class of tourist, according to results of a five-month survey. The typical overnight visitor has an approximate average income of $109,000, travels here by private vehicle, stays more than three days at a time, visits more than seven wineries and uses the Internet to plan the trip.

Avon Wants to Stay in Avon
Matt Terrell, Vail Daily
November 17, 2007
Community leaders are discussing new ways of making the town affordable for middle class families while being reasonable for developers. Developers will be expected to examine what kind of impact they’ll have on the community based on a housing study done by RRC Associates.

Travel: Going green on global travels
Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post
November 15, 2007
As more vacationers have begun to contemplate the impact of their travels on the planet, from the greenhouse-gas emissions of their flights to the litter they leave behind in scenic areas, mainstream travel publishers have devised a new category of books to address their concerns.

DIA likely to have busy holiday travel season
Staff Report, Denver Business Journal
November 14, 2007
Denver International Airport is expected to be even busier this Thanksgiving than it was last year. That's according to online travel agency Orbitz, which said Wednesday DIA is likely to be the third-busiest domestic airport during Thanksgiving. The expectation is up from No. 5 in 2006. Orbitz bases its findings on ticket sales booked on its website with departures between Nov. 21 and Nov. 25. The Chicago and Los Angeles airports are the only domestic airports expected to be busier than Denver's.

Local Ski Biz Bets It'll Beat Global Warming
Brian Miller, Seattle Weekly
November 14, 2007
La Niña is coming with her bountiful promise of snow in the Cascades, if the forecasts prove correct. But one good season won't change the underlying--and rather discouraging--facts facing local ski areas and skiers. First, the baby boom only has so much cartilage left in its knees.

Tourism WW to roll out survey results
Vicki Hillhouse, Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
November 13, 2007
Is it the wine? The art? The historic culture and renovated downtown? With more visitors making Walla Walla a vacation destination each year, local officials set out last summer to find out exactly what in the world is the big draw for this Southeastern Washington town.

How Do You Ski if There Is No Snow?
ELISABETH ROSENTHAL, New York Times
November 1, 2007
Global warming’s foes rarely cite ski resorts and golf courses among its victims. But, though they may be less adorable than penguins and less gripping than melting ice caps, resort owners and tour operators will be directly and strongly affected by climate change. Indeed, few livelihoods are more dependent on the weather, other than farmers’.

Haunted ski resorts
Charles Leocha, msnbc.com
October 31, 2007
At first ponder, ski and snowboard resorts seem strange places to find ghosts. But when you consider that many of our winter snow resorts are built in areas that once had wild and sometimes grisly histories, then the occasional appearance of an unsettled soul is perhaps not so surprising. New England, for example, has a long history of hauntings, and its tales and apparitions have spread into the trails, woods and villages surrounding the region's ski and snowboard resorts.

Orbitz Insider Index Highlights the Most Popular Ski Destinations in the U.S.
press release, Orbitz.com
October 31, 2007
The crisp mountain air is calling and fresh powder is already falling. After a long, hot summer, the winter sport season is upon us and skiers everywhere will soon flock to their favorite destinations. Whether it's a winter trip out west or waiting until spring for that rare opportunity to ski and golf in the same day, Orbitz (http://www.orbitz.com), is keeping travelers 'A Step Ahead(TM)' by highlighting the most popular ski destinations -- as well as great alternatives to the traditional ski vacation.

Vail goes natural with its cuisine
Alicia Wallace, Boulder Daily Camera
October 11, 2007
In the past year, Vail Resorts Inc. has taken strides to become more energy-efficient, sustainable and environmentally friendly. On Wednesday, it made another. Under the initiative, called Good Food on a Grand Scale, Vail this ski season will purchase 90 percent of its meats from Denver-based Coleman Natural Meats and 87 percent of its dairy products from Broomfield's WhiteWave Foods, which sells the Horizon Organic and Silk soy milk brands. Vail said it plans to work with all of its vendors to increase the amount of natural and organic foods offered for future seasons.

Extreme ski makeover
Joanne Kelley, Rocky Mountain News
October 7, 2007
Colorado's ski areas are going to extremes to outdo each other again this season. Collectively, resort operators and investors are sinking $3 billion - a conservative estimate at that - into ambitious makeovers that involve everything from slopeside real estate development to mountain upgrades.

To sustain growth, tourism sector must take action against climate change
, UN News Centre
October 3, 2007
The tourism industry must meet the challenges posed by climate change if it is to continue its growth, a United Nations-backed conference announced today. According to the Davos Declaration, reached at the conclusion of a three-day meeting in the Swiss town, the tourism sector must rapidly respond to climate change, within the evolving UN framework, if it is to grow in a sustainable manner.

Snowmass residents pan development
Catherine Lutz, Aspen Daily News
October 1, 2007
Surprise, surprise -- the biggest issues facing Snowmass Village relate to growth, development and construction, according to a recent community survey. Consultant Chris Cares with RRC Associates, who did the survey, told the council at its meeting last night that while the town is currently addressing some of the issues, there's enough division that you're going to have to work your way through some of these things.

Study Indicates Ski Industry is Retaining Older Participants
Troy Hawks, NSAA
September 14, 2007
Among the most prominent trends noted in the 2007 NSAA National Demographic Study is the continued aging of the visitor base, with strong growth in skiers and riders aged 45 and older. The fact that older participants are being retained in the sport in significant numbers is a welcome plus for the industry.

SKI Magazine ranks Deer Valley at No. 1
Ray Grass, Deseret Morning News
September 8, 2007
For the third time in seven years, skiers have picked Deer Valley as the resort they like to ski best. In SKI Magazine\'s annual list of top 50 resorts in North America (conducted by RRC Associates of Boulder, CO), Deer Valley was picked No. 1 this year. It also received the top billing in 2001 and 2005. In those seven years, the resort has never been rated lower than third.

Vail slips from top spot in SKI poll
Edward Stoner, The Vail Daily (free registration required)
September 7, 2007
Buzz Schleper got a good laugh when he heard that Deer Valley had supplanted Vail as the No. 1 ski resort in North America in the vaunted SKI magazine poll. “You can’t even put Deer Valley on the same page as Vail,” said Schleper, owner of Buzz’s Ski Shop in Vail. “Not even the same chapter.”

Colorado Ski Resorts Invest in Capital Improvements for 2007-08 Winter Season
Staff Report, First Tracks!
August 20, 2007
Denver, CO - Colorado ski resorts are investing hundreds of millions of dollars in capital improvements and guest enhancements for the 2007-08 winter ski and snowboard season.

Traveling in green circles: Ski resort builds windmill
April Yee, Boston Globe
August 15, 2007
Brian Fairbank looks at the windmill -- with three blades each as long as a 12-story building atop a white base near the summit of the tree-covered mountain -- and sees a beacon of hope for his Western Massachusetts ski resort. The $3.9 million 378-foot-high windmill, which is taller than the Statue of Liberty and is the first owned by an American ski resort, can produce 4.6 million kilowatt hours of energy a year, enough to power 1,200 homes from Pittsfield to Williamstown.

Off to Resorts, and Carrying Their Careers
JOHN LELAND, New York Times (free login required)
August 13, 2007
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. — Time was you could tell the urban refugees in places like this: corporate achievers who quit the rat race to open a bed and breakfast or a candle shoppe. Jim Moylan, a lawyer, moved from Chicago and runs his business from Steamboat Springs. Mr. Moylan, 59, is a lawyer who specializes in securities and commodities work. When he moved from Chicago in 2003, he did not downscale his career for the small town, keeping his secretary and associates in Chicago and his clients around the country. He conducts his practice by fax and e-mail, just as he did in Chicago.

How to stop travel’s sad customer-service slide
Christopher Elliott, MSNBC.com
August 13, 2007
It isn’t your imagination. The service is getting worse. Almost every measure of performance, from the federal government’s numbers to independent surveys by the likes of the University of Michigan’s American Customer Satisfaction Index, suggests that when it comes to travel, customer service is circling the drain.

Final Report Indicates 55.1 Million Visits in 2006/07
Troy Hawks, NSAA
August 9, 2007
The final 2006/07 Kottke End of Season Survey indicates that the U.S. ski industry recorded 55.1 million visits for the 2006/07 season, up 0.4 percent from the preliminary estimate of 54.82 million, and down 6.5 percent from the record 2005/06 season.

Cheaper housing tops Vail’s concerns
Edward Stoner, Vail Daily
August 7, 2007
Affordable housing is on Vailites' minds. As for construction, they perhaps increasingly wish it was out of sight. According to Vail's biennial community survey released this summer, employee housing was the biggest issue facing the town.

Aspen vs. Vail: The War Turns Green
RITA HEALY, Time Magazine
August 6, 2007
The Aspen Skiing Company recently announced a daily lift ticket price of $87 for the 2007-2008 season, believed to be the most expensive in U.S. history. Colorado ski enthusiasts are awaiting the response of arch-rival Vail, which is likely to match if not exceed it. But in another key area of competition between the two resort towns, Vail claims to have the upper hand. It says it is greener than Aspen.

Troopers Offer Tips For Driving I-70 In Mountains
Andrea Lopez, cbs4denver.com
August 3, 2007
During the last ski season, accidents closed portions Interstate 70 for nearly 163 hours. That included one or two lane closures. The mountain corridor is a challenging drive with its steep grades, winding curves, wildlife, and often intimidating tunnels. Complicating weather events can happen along that stretch of road during most months of the year.

An Old Ski Town Faces the March of the Wine Bar
Dan White, New York Times
August 3, 2007
NOT long ago, Mammoth Lakes, Calif., was the kind of place where night life might involve hanging out in the condo-village game room and pumping quarters into the Elvira-Mistress of the Dark pinball machine. Its sleepy assemblage of shingled mini-malls, bait and tackle shops and Alpine-style motels was clustered in a small downtown, and a few cabins and vacation houses were on the outskirts. At 7,800 feet near the Sierra Nevada’s eastern edge, it drew visitors mostly for the skiing — Mammoth Mountain averages close to 400 inches of snow a year.

Ski resorts seeking to become 'year round attraction'
Staff Report, Assetz Property News Service
August 3, 2007
Last year, ski resorts in Switzerland, like many other places in Europe, had a dramatic wake-up call. The unusually mild winter meant that many of the lower-lying Alpine resorts suffered from a lack of snow, which in turn resulted in a lack of business. Concerns that global warming could lead to such winters occurring with ever greater frequency, particularly in low-lying resorts, has raised the possibility that such resorts may have to provide more than just winter sports to ensure their continued popularity.

Alta Ski Area Steps Up Environmental Commitment
Staff Report, First Tracks Online
August 3, 2007
Utah's Alta Ski Area is committed to its second year as a Visionary Partner with Rocky Mountain Power through the Blue Sky program. The Wasatch Mountains ski area's choice to participate in clean, renewable wind power is a promise to purchase 900,000 kilowatt-hours (kwh) for the next 12-month period, offsetting over 23% of Alta’s energy consumption. The environmental impact is equivalent to avoiding 900 tons of CO2 emissions per year.

Breckenridge businesses, revenues continue to set records
Kimberly Nicoletti, High Country Business Review
July 24, 2007
For nearly two years — 23 months in a row — Breckenridge sales tax revenues have set records across all sectors. The ski resort posted 1.65 million skier visits, which is the most skier visits of any ski area in the country, and the Breckenridge economy surpassed $300 million for the first time in 2006, topping out at $323 million, according to Corry Mihm, executive director of the Breckenridge Resort Chamber. ...Nationally, the 2005-06 ski season set records with skier/ snowboarder visits and the industry showed consistent growth until last season, when it dipped about 6 percent because of poor snow conditions, said Chris Cares of RRC Associates.

Outdoors Is the Way Up in Ogden, Utah
Wendy Knight, NYT (subscription required)
June 22, 2007
Despite the lingering rough-town image, development continues. The mayor is seeking to build a gondola that would connect downtown to a proposed ski and resort community that would occupy nearly 1,800 acres and include Malan\'s Basin, 1,440 acres of mountainside land owned by a Salt Lake developer, Chris Peterson, who is championing the idea.

Snow Canada
Julie Dunn, Denver Post
May 18, 2007
Denver businessman Donald Simpson spent his career developing apartment projects but dedicated much of his free time to extreme skiing. Simpson is now combining his two passions in the creation of Revelstoke Mountain Resort, a ski resort in British Columbia's Selkirk Range.

Vail playing summertime catch-up
Edward Stoner, Aspen Times
May 17, 2007
The town of Vail does 71 percent of its business from November to April. Rayla Kundolf said her Vail Village art gallery, Masters Gallery, isn’t quite that unbalanced — it does about 60 percent of its business in those winter months. But she’d like to see Vail business be more sustained through the year, she said. “We need to go to a year-round resort,” she said. “People have to get out of the mindset of ‘mud season,’” she said. Compared to other mountain resorts, Vail’s disparity between winter and non-winter business seems more pronounced.

City plans talks on area's affordable housing gaps
Staff, The New Mexican
May 10, 2007
A recently completed study of Santa Fe housing needs provides a picture of a town whose homes increasingly are becoming more expensive and owned by out-of-towners. The city's Office of Affordable Housing will present findings tonight at a public meeting intended to kick off development of a plan to address gaps in the Santa Fe housing situation. Data compiled by RRC Associates Inc. of Boulder Colo. was acquired during the past few months through surveys of employers and workers.

NSAA Gets Green in Palm Springs
Ski Press staff, Ski Press
April 9, 2007
Palm Springs, Calif. (Ski Press)-The 2007 NSAA National Convention and Tradeshow is being powered by 100 percent renewable energy....Renewable Choice Energy, Boulder, Colo., has donated green power, in the form of renewable energy credits (RECs), to offset the energy consumed during this year's convention being held at La Quinta Resort & Club in Palm Springs, Calif. ... Scheduled for May 6 - 9, the annual convention features a host of educational sessions focusing on the growth of the sport, risk management and insurance issues, resort marketing technology, customer relations, environmental issues and more. Research firm RRC Associates will present this season's national visitation data.

Housing more and less than others
Steve Lynn, Vail Daily (free registration required)
March 29, 2007
MINTURN — The Ginn Development Co., which wants to build a private ski resort in Minturn, has underestimated the number of permanent employees and construction workers it will need, states a $1,200 review of Ginn’s plan by RRC Associates of Boulder.

Ski-resort crowds are soaring
Julie Dunn, Denver Post
March 25, 2007
The wait for a table in Eric Mamula's dark basement pizza joint was 25 minutes one recent sunny Friday afternoon. Vacationers craving something sweet were cramming into Rachel Hahn's tiny cookie store for a 'Cookie Dough Delight.' A few blocks away, about 15 people waited in line at Alex LaMarca's outdoor crepe stand. ...With spring-breakers crowding the slopes and just weeks left before the end of the season, Colorado's 26 ski resorts are on pace to meet - if not beat - last year's record of 12.53 million skier visits....The state's snow conditions have also been reliable, while other regions have suffered in recent winters, said Nolan Rosall, president of RRC Associates. 'The weather factor is hard to ignore in this industry,' he said. 'Colorado's high elevation and much more consistent snow gives us a strong competitive advantage.'

Village has values, Vail Resorts says
Edward Stoner, Glenwood Springs Post Independent
March 6, 2007
BROOMFIELD - 'Largest green resort in North America' is how Vail Resorts is describing its plans for a gondola, hotel, condos and shops in West Lionshead. Vail Resorts chief Rob Katz announced Monday the company is rebuilding West Lionshead into a 'green' neighborhood, saying that reflects the values of local residents, visitors and his employees....Nolan Rosall, president of RRC Associates, a Boulder market-research company that studies the ski industry, noted that going green is a trend that goes well beyond ski resorts. 'This is part of a much broader trend of awareness of impacts of development,' he said. 'It's certainly good from many perspectives to see ski resorts embracing a lot of those principles.' But sustainability extends beyond just green building, Rosall said. Sustainability includes other issues like worker housing and transportation....

Steamboat set to host black skiers summit
Julie Dunn, Denver Post
February 23, 2007
More than 2,000 African-American skiers are expected at Steamboat Ski Resort this weekend for the National Brotherhood of Skiers' annual summit. Black skiers represented about 2 percent of the 58.9 million visits to ski resorts during the 2005-06 season, according to Nolan Rosall, president of RRC Associates, a Boulder market-research firm that does work for the ski industry.

People-watching good for biz
Richard Valenty, Colorado Daily
February 13, 2007
Perhaps just sitting around really is good for business. Downtown Boulder does an annual user survey to track pros and cons of its business and social climate, and in 2006 the category of “hanging out/enjoying the ambiance/people watching” topped the list as respondents' biggest motivator for visiting. The “hanging out” category, listed as number one by 29 percent of respondents, beat the more tangible business-related categories of “eating a meal” (20 percent) and “shopping” (18 percent) ...

Grant to fund housing needs assessment
Bob Berwyn, Summit Daily News (free registration required)
February 11, 2007
A $20,000 federal grant, administered via state channels, should help local officials pinpoint housing needs throughout Summit County, said housing authority director Bonnie Osborn. The grant was awarded under the auspices of the Colorado Governor's Smart Growth office. Boulder-based RRC Associates has already started working on the study. Osborn said she expects results in about two months. The goal is to find specific information on the desired number and configuration of affordable housing units and where they where they needed.

Talking the Walk...Walking the Talk
Glenn Walsh, Pagosa Daily Post
February 1, 2007
On Friday, January 19, the Pagosa Springs Town Council and Town staff no doubt pleased the Town Tourism Committee by convening their annual retreat in beautiful downtown Pagosa Springs.... A brief roundtable discussion was moderated by Chris Cares of RRC Associates, the conference facilitator. Cares suggested that Pagosa Springs, having spent $450,000 on planning since 2003, needed to “apply the planning to reality” and that he wanted to place “an emphasis on implementation.”

Carving a Niche
BOB DIDDLEBOCK, Time Magazine
January 26, 2007
The U.S. ski industry should send a couple of season passes to downhiller Karen Harsch--gratis. The 38-year-old mother and ex--U.S. Ski Team member slaps on her sticks 50 times a season in Summit County, Colo., often bopping from Arapahoe Basin and Keystone to Copper Mountain and Breckenridge in a single week. Chances are her 6-year-old daughter will follow in her mother's boot steps.

A slippery slope for ski resorts
Tim Reiterman, Los Angeles Times
January 24, 2007
Beneath a steely sky and icy snow flurries, cross-country skiers glide over a 130-acre alpine meadow that Kirkwood Mountain Resort has preserved for wildlife and recreation. In nearby restaurants, diners use plates and utensils that are reusable or made with recycled materials. And employees receive financial rewards for carpooling to work. ... The resorts 'have had a tarnished image in the past of commercializing what are really wilderness areas,' said industry analyst Nolan Rosall, president of RRC Associates in Boulder, Colo. 'So there's an effort to change the image to being really sensitive about the environment.';

Skier days are on the rise here, and across Colorado
Matthew Beaudin, Telluride Daily Planet
January 19, 2007
When they come, they come in droves. Collectively, Colorado’s 26 ski resorts racked up 3.29 million skier visits since the hills opened for business this season, up 7 percent from last year at this time. It’s been much of the same here, as resort officials estimated increased visitors. The increase has meant a boon to checkbooks, too: the total visitors thus far have been worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Dave Belin, director of Boulder-based RRC Associates, said it’s estimated that guests spend $210 for every skier day.

Early lift puts ski record in reach
Julie Dunn, Denver Post
January 16, 2007
A record 3.29 million skiers and snowboarders hit the slopes in Colorado between Oct. 13 and Dec. 31, according to data released Tuesday by Colorado Ski Country USA. That translates into more than $690 million in direct spending, according to RRC Associates. The Boulder-based research firm found that the average Colorado skier spent $210 per day during the last ski season, including lift tickets, lodging, food and drink. Visits to the state's 26 ski resorts were up 6.74 percent compared with the same October-December period in 2005. That puts Colorado on pace to eclipse last season's record 12.53 million skiers.

Avon confronts housing problems
News Staff, Vail Daily (free registration required)
January 11, 2007
Houses are unaffordable, and rent rates are crippling. The workforce, for the most part, lives elsewhere. First-time home buyers and seasonal employees alike are having a hard time finding a reasonable place to live. Avon, in short, needs a lot of work to meet its housing needs, according to an assessment done by RRC Associates, a Boulder consulting firm hired by the town. Avon leaders say they will use the above findings to build policies that will hopefully help potential Avon residents stay in town.

Urge to ski? Brace yourself
Joanne Kelley, Rocky Mountain News
January 11, 2007
A spontaneous day on the slopes means plunking down more than $80 for a lift ticket at a growing number of Colorado's winter playgrounds ... 'The trend has become fairly consistent among the large destination resorts,' said Nolan Rosall, president of RRC Associates, a Boulder-based research firm. 'Even the smaller ski areas are inflating their prices because the bigger ones are pushing $80 a day.'

CEO: Vail Resorts shopping for properties
Associated Press, Vail Daily (free resistration required)
January 4, 2007
Vail Resorts Inc. continues to shop for new properties amid an industry consolidation, although the timing of any purchase is critical, the chief executive of the nation's largest ski area operator said Thursday ... Nolan Rosall, president of Boulder-based consulting firm RRC Associates, said he believes resort companies are evolving again by pushing to build year-round businesses with skiing, golfing and beach properties.

Newsmakers of the Year: Bonnie Osborn
Bob Berwyn, Summit Daily News (free registration required)
January 1, 2007
Looking back 10 years from now, when CDOT likely still be trying to figure out what to do with I-70, and Breckenridge will still be trying to resolve parking questions, there’s one area where Summit County will have made some real measurable progress — affordable housing.... Osborn was only a little daunted in 2005, when an RRC Associates study showed the true width of the housing gap.

Big deal for Steamboat
Joanne Kelley, Rocky Mountain News
December 20, 2006
With plentiful cash from its new private equity owner, Canadian giant Intrawest has expanded its influence in Colorado with Tuesday's $265 million deal to buy Steamboat Ski Resort ... 'It obviously makes sense to do that, and Steamboat has a positive brand image among Front Range skiers,' said Dave Belin, an industry consultant with Boulder-based RRC Associates.

Breck council to focus on housing
Staff Report, Summit Daily News (free registration required)
December 17, 2006
With Summit County's affordable housing measure set to take effect in just a few days, the Breckenridge Town Council has scheduled a Dec. 19 work session to hone in on the issue... The agenda includes a review of a recent housing tour, a McCain property master plan update, a review of a recent housing needs assessment by RRC Associates, and a look at the town's affordable housing strategy.

Six Months On the Job, McQuade Reports Marketing Initiatives
Peter Kenworthy, The Telluride Watch
May 12, 2006
Six months into his tenure as CEO of Telluride Marketing, Inc., Scott McQuade is pleased with the company’s progress.... Not caring to reinvent the wheel, he immediately enlisted the service of RRC Associates, a research and consulting firm based in Boulder whom McQuade calls “one of the most renowned data collection companies in the industry.”

New England's $1 Bln Ski Industry Squeezed by Fuel, Warm Winter
Danielle Kost, Bloomberg.com
March 23, 2006
On a February Friday, Cannon Mountain braced for the three-day President's Day weekend, usually one of the busiest for New England ski resorts. The weather had other plans. Rain and sleet pelted skiers' faces as they navigated hard snow, ice and, in some spots, grass at the Franconia, New Hampshire, resort. By 3:30 p.m., there were no skiers left and the mountain closed early. "Energy costs combined with lower visitation made it a tougher season for many," says Nolan Rosall, president of RRC Associates, a Boulder, Colorado, consulting firm. Resorts will probably report attendance figures at least 10 percent below last year, he says.

Analysts: Katz brings Wall Street know-how
Edward Stoner, Vail Daily (free login required)
February 28, 2006
VAIL — Industry experts say Rob Katz, Vail Resorts’ new chief executive, will keep the company focused on its Wall Street well-being. “He’s young and enthusiastic, and I bet he’ll add something to the operation,” he said. Nolan Rosall, president of RRC Associates, a marketing and consulting company that specializes in the ski industry, said Katz has a good mix of Wall Street and ski industry knowledge.

Even Vail doesn't want to live in Vail
Alex Miller, The Aspen Times (free login required)
March 1, 2006
AVON - Vail Resorts will move its corporate headquarters - along with about 100 employees - to Denver, the company announced Tuesday. Nolan Rosall, president of RRC Associates - a marketing and research firm that specializes in the ski and tourism industry - said he thought relocating the company's headquarters to Denver was a good thing. 'I think it's a good move for the organization,' Rosall said. 'Denver is a major metro area with access to a lot of infrastructure and a central location. A lot of their operations will extend beyond Colorado, so it probably makes sense.'

Colorado ski areas set record for visits
Joanne Kelley, Rocky Mountain News
June 15, 2006
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS - Colorado ski resorts notched a record 12.53 million visits in the 2005-2006 season, according to Colorado Ski Country USA documents obtained by the Rocky Mountain News. The results, scheduled to be released today, shatter the previous record of 11.98 million set in the 1997-1998 season.... 'You can't build an entire industry out of getting increased levels of participation from a diminishing pool,' said Nate Fristoe, director at Boulder-based research firm RRC Associates, which compiled the report published recently by the national ski industry trade group.

Monarch smooths some rough edges
Joanne Kelley, Rocky Mountain News
January 20, 2006
MONARCH MOUNTAIN - Latte's in. Linoleum's out. But don't look for this underdog ski area to glom onto glitz anytime soon. While a feisty new investor group has brought in a Starbucks and spruced up the dated lodge, the tiny Monarch Mountain base area has grown so little over the years it practically makes the rustic Wolf Creek Ski Area to the south look developed. Smaller ski areas such as Monarch offer a 'more pure, wilderness kind of experience,' said Nolan Rosall, president of Boulder-based ski industry research group RRC Associates.

Skier visits up in U.S., but fall in Northeast
Julie Dunn, Denver Post
May 25, 2006
LAKEWOOD, Colo. — A record-breaking 58.8 million skiers and snowboarders hit the slopes across the U.S. this winter, up 3.3 percent over last season, according to preliminary data released Tuesday by the Lakewood-based National Ski Areas Association. However, in the Northeast, skier visits fell, likely due to light snowfall amounts.

US Skier Visits Set New Record!
Staff, Ski Press World
May 23, 2006
Marco Island, Fla. (Ski Press)-Heavy snows in the Northwest and record seasons for Colorado and Utah helped contribute to a new record 58.8 million skier visits in the US this year....“We feel what we’re forecasting is very solid,” said Nolan Rosall of RRC Associates, the company that compiles the information for the Kottke Report each year.

Study makes case for redevelopment at the 'Y'
Susan Wood, Tahoe Daily Tribune (free registration required)
January 4, 2006
Justifying further redevelopment in town, the South Lake Tahoe City Council heard a grim picture Tuesday outlining a loss in sales tax dollars with shoppers leaving the area to buy an assortment of goods.When all was said and done, Nolan Rosall of RRC Associates suggested the city quickly pursue options to establish retail centers - such as a strip center or a building like Heavenly Village - with a mix of shops. The idea is to at least make a dent in the $219 million the study figures the city loses every year in sales. In a barrage of statistics, Rosall concluded that South Shore consumers and visitors are seeking more of a selection in apparel and general merchandise shops.

Council to hear results of South Shore retail study
Susan Wood, Tahoe Daily Tribune (free registration required)
January 3, 2006
The city is losing retail sales amounting to $219 million a year or 60 percent of the retail demand, according to a consultant's study to be presented today at the South Lake Tahoe City Council meeting. The retail analysis by RRC Associates provides some findings for planning purposes.

Ski Resorts Focus on Kids as Key to Business
Brian E. Clark, WisBusiness.com
December 16, 2005
From Trollhaugen in northwest Wisconsin to Tyrol Basin in the south, Badger State ski and snowboard areas are focusing on children as a way to stoke business now and create it in the future. They are doing it by offering free lift tickets, beefing up programs for kids, improving terrain parks for the younger set and making their resorts more family friendly. For the 2003-2004 season, the state had 1.86 million skier visits, which ranked second in the Midwest -- behind Michigan, but ahead of Minnesota -- according to an economic impact report prepared by the Colorado firm RRC Associates.

$81 for a lift at Vail
David Milstead, Rocky Mountain News
December 8, 2005
A single-day adult lift ticket will crack the $80 mark at Vail and Beaver Creek this year, Vail Resorts said Wednesday. According to the Kottke End of Season Survey, prepared by the National Ski Areas Association in conjunction with RRC Associates Inc. of Boulder, the Rocky Mountain ski region had the highest average weekend adult lift- ticket price last season at $64.54. The national average was $57.82.