The 2020 International Report on Mountain & Snow Tourism has just been published.

The "White Season" in Europe and the Big Snowstorms.Photo by Unsplash.

The 2020 International Report on Mountain & Snow Tourism has just been published.

Overview of key industry figures for ski resorts

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April 2020 –

The 2020 edition of the International Report on Snow and Mountain Tourism has just been unveiled at an online press conference this Wednesday April 22, 2020 by the Swiss expert Laurent Vanat in partnership with the organizers of Mountain Planet, world’s leading trade fair for the mountain development and industry which should have been taken place from April 22 to 24, 2020 in Grenoble / Alpexpo. Based on the winter 2018/19 figures, it presents rejoicing figures in a depressed covid-19 environment.

The 2020 International Report on Mountain & Snow Tourism has just been published. Laurent Vanat.
The 2020 International Report on Mountain & Snow Tourism has just been published. Laurent Vanat.

Highlight – the 2018/19 ski season has been the best ski season of the millennium!

The 2018/19 ski season presented in the 2020 International Report on Snow & Mountain Tourism report is the best of the new millennium as far as global visitation figures are concerned. It is a pleasure to see that despite adverse conditions the ski industry is facing, with climate change, increasing competition and the demographics, it still has the potential to feature globally 3 seasons in a row with growth. In today’s depressed environment further to covid-19 abrupt closure of the 2019/20 season in most of the northern hemispheres’ ski areas, this is heralding of a better tomorrow. It demonstrates the strength of the ski industry notwithstanding the current situation and allows dreaming that the 2020/21 season will enable to return to a high level of attendance at ski resorts all over the world.

Indoor slope in Finland - Photo copyright - Laurent Vanat. The 2020 International Report on Mountain & Snow Tourism has just been published.
Indoor slope in Finland – Photo copyright – Laurent Vanat. The 2020 International Report on Mountain & Snow Tourism has just been published.

During the 2018/19 winter, United States ski areas recovered with excellent snow conditions and performed well above average. The country is back on the top of the podium for the 2018/19 season. Visitation level was the 4th best in the past 41 years. It may also have been boosted by the spread of the mega-passes that the enhanced competition created by the consolidation of the industry is heavily promoting. This trend, together with dynamic pricing, has also now reached Europe. Both are introducing a disruption in the traditional business model of the industry that is still viewed with a touch of scepticism in some places and not yet widely adopted. However, discounted multi-resort seasonal passes seem to have helped for the recovery of attendance at Swiss resorts for instance. Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia are also featuring some interesting examples, which integrate interactive customer relationship management systems.

Continue reading “The 2020 International Report on Mountain & Snow Tourism has just been published.”

Final chance to participate in crowdfunding of the 2019 International Report on Snow & Mountain Tourism

Indoor slope in Finland - Photo copyright - Laurent Vanat. The 2020 International Report on Mountain & Snow Tourism has just been published.

Final chance to participate in crowdfunding of the 2019 International Report on Snow & Mountain Tourism

In order to both keep the International Report on Snow & Mountain Tourism available for free download on the Internet and to ensure the sustainability of its yearly update, several individuals, companies and organisations get mobilised since 2016 and participate to the crowdfunding campaign. This support enabled up to now to cover about half of the investment in the preparation of the 2016, 2017 and 2018 reports.

Final chance to participate in crowdfunding of the 2019 International Report on Snow & Mountain Tourism. Laurent Vanat photo.
Final chance to participate in crowdfunding of the 2019 International Report on Snow & Mountain Tourism. Laurent Vanat photo.

2019 will see a new updated issue of the International Report on Snow & Mountain Tourism, which will be released next April. The subscription to the 2019 crowdfunding campaign is therefore now open and a renewed call is addressed to all the fans of this world acknowledged international report to support it with a voluntary contribution. Independent of the amount of its contribution (over a technical minimum), each contributor will be listed in the acknowledgments section of the report.

To participate, please contribute using the link https://www.paypal.me/laurentvanat or announce by return e-mail to vanat@vanat.ch your contribution to the 2019 crowdfunding campaign and proceed by bank transfer. See bottom of this message for details.

Continue reading “Final chance to participate in crowdfunding of the 2019 International Report on Snow & Mountain Tourism”

Listex’s State of the UK Snowsports Market Report 2018

James Gambrill, Founder of Listex talks at the Forum. Listex’s State of the UK Snowsports Market Report 2018.

Listex’s State of the UK Snowsports Market Report 2018. Listex is London International Snowsports Trade Exchange that gathers the UK andEuropean ski industry each year in May and September.

Its Forum covers lots of interesting topics, such as their annual State of the Snowsports Market. As a marketeer, I’ve found this report interesting as it focused in how buyers got inspired and went on to book their ski holidays, who they trust and what is important for them when booking a ski holiday.

Here is the executive summary of the report and if you go to the end, you’ll have a link to be able to read the entire report.

The Forum at Listex 2018. Listex’s State of the UK Snowsports Market Report 2018
The Forum at Listex 2018. Listex’s State of the UK Snowsports Market Report 2018

Inspiration, Information and trust:

Friends and families continue to be the most cited, and most trusted sources of information and inspiration for skiers when choosing a holiday. Social media continues to score very poorly, even amongst the under 35 demographics.

Important factors:

Price, snow and ski area size continue to be the most important factors when choosing a ski holiday destination, but below these headliners, there has been some shifts with accommodation and food quality making gains. Amongst the under 35’s, resort altitude scores as less important and après-ski climbs the table, suggesting some shifts in priorities.

Continue reading “Listex’s State of the UK Snowsports Market Report 2018”

Crowfunding Campaign to keep the International Report on Snow & Mountain Tourism by Laurent Vanat Free for all and sustainable to be renewed in an yearly fashion

The 2020 International Report on Mountain & Snow Tourism has just been published. Laurent Vanat.

In order to both keep the International Report on Snow & Mountain Tourism available for free download on the Internet and to ensure the sustainability of its yearly update, several individuals, companies and organisations get mobilised since 2016 and participate to the crowdfunding campaign. This support enabled up to now to cover about half of the investment in the preparation of the 2016 and 2017 reports.

Laurent Vanat at the UNWTO 2nd Euro-Asian Mountain Resorts Conference. Photo copyright of Laurent Vanat.
Laurent Vanat at the UNWTO 2nd Euro-Asian Mountain Resorts Conference. Photo copyright of Laurent Vanat.

2018 will see a new updated issue of the International Report on Snow & Mountain Tourism, which will be released next April. The subscription to the 2018 crowdfunding campaign is therefore now open and a renewed call is addressed to all the fans of this world acknowledged international report to support it with a voluntary contribution. Independent of the amount of its contribution (over a technical minimum), each contributor will be listed in the acknowledgments section of the report. Continue reading “Crowfunding Campaign to keep the International Report on Snow & Mountain Tourism by Laurent Vanat Free for all and sustainable to be renewed in an yearly fashion”