Rocky Mountain region respondent. Event additions. Operators are looking to capture that success with plans to add more events to their sum- mer lineups. Of the 25% of ski areas plan- ning to add themed festivals, only 4% also said they already offer them. This suggests that within the next two years, roughly 71% of total respondents plan to offer these types of events. Similarly, 16% of respondents plan to add weddings to their roster of summer services, despite the operational chal- lenges. Four percent of the respondents that plan to add weddings also said they already offer them. So, if all of the respon- dents that plan to add weddings do, more than 85% of respondents will host nup- tials within the next two years. Additionally, operators wrote in as “other” that they plan to add events such as immersive light experiences and drive-in movies. These night events have the potential to drive lodging and food and beverage revenue. A respondent from a rural Midwest ski area shared that an immersive art experience, which was partially hosted at the ski area, drew people by the thou- sands to the region in 2024. This operator was able to shift a winter chalet into an ice cream and coffee shop to capture rev- enue from visitors to the art installation. Another respondent from a North- east ski area noted that among their most profitable summer offerings are
“Specialty events that bundle scenic lift rides and food & beverage, utilizing our mid-mountain lodge.” WHO IS COMING IN SUMMER? Drive-to visitors are the most import- ant market to respondents of this survey. Several respondents made a distinction between “drive-to” and “drive-by,” the lat- ter meaning passersby that may not have
ence who may not participate in snow- sports but do participate in non-winter activities. Locals also represent a signif- icant opportunity for repeat summer visitation. A weekly bike race series, for example, like the “ski bum” race leagues of winter, or a weekly concert series can become part of locals’ weekly routine during the summer season, drawing them to your resort again and again.
“IF PROFIT POTENTIAL RULES THE FUTURE, WE SHOULD DO EVENTS, FESTIVALS, WEDDINGS, AND RUN ONE LIFT FOR SIGHT- SEEING AND DOWNHILL MOUNTAIN BIKING.”
previously planned to stop.
Destination visitors , meaning overnight guests, ranked third, very closely behind local visitors. When tar- geting destination visitors, it’s important to examine the regional market to deter- mine the right mix of offerings. Does your ski area need the lodging, F&B, activities, and programming mix to fill entire days, or are you a piece of a larger regional puz- zle driving visitation to the area? “Understand the guest is looking for instant gratification. They are no longer interested in spending all day at the resort; too many other Instagram moments for them to fit in during their visit,” said one Rocky Mountain resort “Destination markets are often ‘activ- ity rich,’” said Humber, “which can be an opportunity and a challenge: an oppor- tunity to become part of the richer expe-
Operators looking to capture drive visitors need to create a unique value proposition that draws guests in from the area. Unlike in winter, when ski areas offer one of the only viable and often the most visible activity in a region, in sum- mer, a ski area is not the only game in town. Reaching your target market may require a different marketing strategy. “You want to get on the ‘top 10 things to do in...’ lists that show up in media and/ or come up in web searches, and/or be a place that tour operators put on their itineraries,” Humber advised. The local market ranked second, which may be indicative of the respon- dent sample being “community adjacent.” In summer, resorts have an opportunity to capture members of their local audi-
Target Market Ranked 1-5, 5 being “Most Important,” 1 being “Least Important”
Target Audience Ranked 1-5, 5 being “Most Important,” 1 being “Least Important”
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5
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4
3.9
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3
3
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2
2
1
1
0
0
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