Coronavirus and Skiing

[Brownski]

Yikes

A brutal year for Vermont’s ski industry: Losses estimated at $100 million - VTDigger

The pandemic caused a massive decrease in day visits, especially from out-of-state skiers, dealing a huge blow to resorts and lodging services.

vtdigger.org

 

[MC2]

Guys at Jay Peak said they were empty all year. The lack of Canadian tourism (especially) killed their skier visits.

 

[Brownski]

That makes sense. Hopefully nobody goes out of business

 

[snoloco]

Yikes

A brutal year for Vermont’s ski industry: Losses estimated at $100 million - VTDigger

The pandemic caused a massive decrease in day visits, especially from out-of-state skiers, dealing a huge blow to resorts and lodging services.

vtdigger.org

When you lock yourself down to all out of state travel, don't be surprised if you lose tourism money. Their governor made that decision, and now he gets to live with it. It should be noted that there was practically zero enforcement outside of lodging, but it still kept people away, as did the resort capacity restrictions, which were more strict than in other states. They had a 50% limit on lift capacity, and 25% on indoor facilities. Other northeast states allowed lifts to be loaded with one or two empty seats between parties, and also allowed lodge capacity to be higher. This means less people can be accommodated safely on the mountain. They had the most restrictive rules for ski resorts in North America outside of Ontario which shut them down completely for 8 weeks from late December into February, and then shut them down again a few days ago.

 

[tirolski]

Feel the Bern.

 

[G.ski]

When you lock yourself down to all out of state travel, don't be surprised if you lose tourism money. Their governor made that decision, and now he gets to live with it. It should be noted that there was practically zero enforcement outside of lodging, but it still kept people away, as did the resort capacity restrictions, which were more strict than in other states. They had a 50% limit on lift capacity, and 25% on indoor facilities. Other northeast states allowed lifts to be loaded with one or two empty seats between parties, and also allowed lodge capacity to be higher. This means less people can be accommodated safely on the mountain. They had the most restrictive rules for ski resorts in North America outside of Ontario which shut them down completely for 8 weeks from late December into February, and then shut them down again a few days ago.

I love skiing in VT. Hoping to be able to justify getting a K pass next season after bagging it this past season. I particularly miss skiing there this time of year

But this only reinforces what I knew would happen. VT announced these draconian restrictions and out of state skiers said no thank you. Now we'll get to hear all summer how VT is hurting economically. Don't be surprised if the state starts begging for a bailout. You can't cut the balls off your main economic driver and then wonder about gargantuan revenue losses.

 

[Harvey]

don't be surprised if you lose tourism money

Was anyone surprised?

I'd be surprised if anyone was surprised.

 

[Q*bert Jones IV]

Was anyone surprised?

I'd be surprised if anyone was surprised.

Indeed, it was (like damn near everything in early 2020) a calculation. What's more important, our money or our lives? They sided with human lives. Unlike the governments in many states and certainly in DC.

 

[Low Angle Life]

Was anyone surprised?

I'd be surprised if anyone was surprised.

Most people who I know living up that way seemed pleased with Gov Scotts decision making. It's a tiny state with VERY limited hospital capacity and they were well aware of how critical tourism is to the local economy going into this. Add in the fact that Vermonters hate people, particularly flatlanders and I think it all worked out.

 

[G.ski]

Most people who I know living up that way seemed pleased with Gov Scotts decision making. It's a tiny state with VERY limited hospital capacity and they were well aware of how critical tourism is to the local economy going into this. Add in the fact that Vermonters hate people, particularly flatlanders and I think it all worked out.

So then they should be happy with the revenue losses.

I particularly agree with the last sentence of your post. In fact I wonder even if all restrictions are gone for next season if I want to spend money in a state whose residents hate me.