Ski resorts facing a winter of woes
As Canada's world-class ski resorts brace for a winter without international tourists due to closed borders, many are betting locals will help make up for lost revenues.
“We are desperately trying to make that up with domestic booking,” said Michael Ballingall of Big White Ski Resort in B.C. The resort plans to roll out flight deals and discounts on long-term stays to attract Canadians.
Although international visitors represent just 21 per cent of reservations, they contribute 32 per cent of revenue, Ballingall said, underscoring how the different spending patterns of domestic visitors won't necessarily bridge the budget gap — Canadians take fewer lessons, buy little or no equipment and eat out less frequently.
Whistler Blackcomb is optimistic about locals filling in the gap, said Marc Riddell of owner Vail Resorts Inc.
Riddell said the resort is “optimistic it'll be a good season, but we are aware of what's going on around the world. We understand the border closure will have an impact on our traditional customer base.”
Tourism Whistler declined to say how much accommodation bookings dropped this year, but said that in a normal year 60 per cent of Whistler's visitors were international.
The town's mayor, Jack Crompton, thinks this means it will be an unusually good year for locals because the mountain will be missing so many skiers. “One of the big advantages of Whistler is that when you're here you're very close to no one,” he said.
Another boost to Whistler's tourism is expected to come from Canadians relocating to take advantage of remote-work policies, to the point where the local tourism board has created a landing page on the topic, Crompton said.
In Quebec, ski areas and their patrons will face new challenges. On Oct 16, the province gave the OK for ski centres to open with strict guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“It's great news that Quebecers will be able to ski this winter, but we'll have to adapt like everyone else,” said Christian Dufour at Les Sommets, a collection of six Laurentian ski areas that includes Mont St- Sauveur, Mont Gabriel and Ski Morin Heights.