COVID cancellations cost Big White resort $7.3M
Cancelled ski lift and accommodation bookings at Big White due to COVID-19 have cost the resort $7.3 million, the company says.
The figure doesn’t include revenue losses for other on-mountain businesses, such as restaurants and stores. Nor does it include rental revenue lost by the owners of other privately-owned homes and condos.
“When the provincial health officer clearly states ‘avoid non-essential travel,’ then the subject is not debatable in cancelling reservations for those who live outside our local area, even if it results in a substantial financial hit,” Big White president Peter Plimmer said in a Thursday release.
A year ago, occupancy in properties managed by Big White Central Reservations was 87%.
Today, it’s 15%.
Mid-week ski visits are down by 84%, and other businesses have seen revenue declines of more than 80%.
While encouraging people from the Central Okanagan to visit and stay at Big White, the resort is also looking to the future, Plimmer says. “It will always snow at Big White, and eventually COVID-19 will be gone.”
A cluster of COVID-19 cases has affected 203 people, 126 of whom either live or work at Big White. A total of 160 people had recovered as of Tuesday, with the rest in self-isolation.
Interior Health has said Big White is still safe for skiers and snowboarders to visit, provided they wear masks, maintain physical distancing, and use hand sanitizer frequently.