Earnings Down, but Pass Sales Up for Vail Resorts

Bob Berwin reports in the June 5, 2009, issue of the Summit Daily News:

Execs hope pass sales will spur visits next season.

Season pass sales and usage continues to be bright spots for Vail Resorts at the end of a challenging season.

In spite of a 20.9 percent drop in bottom line earnings, advance season pass sales for next year are up 37 percent from last year. This revenue is quickly growing into a larger slice of the company's overall revenue picture, from 26 percent in the 2007-8 ski season, to 34 percent for the 2008-9 season.

Total skier visits were down about 5.3 percent for the 2008-9 season. Destination guests made up 57 percent of Vail Resort's total visitation, compared with 63 percent last season. Visits by non-season pass holders dropped by 22 percent.

These results were impacted by the continued severe downturn in the economy.

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