Welcome to 2022!

When one tries to catch one's breath after a sprint within a race, there is often little time to reflect as the next challenge lies ahead. However, the ski industry is deserving of a celebratory bow following the holiday period. There were many challenges, and many examples of our teams rising to the task and delivering memorable experiences. Collectively, these efforts are the foundation of a ski industry culture that prioritizes safety and delivers an offering that remains iconic around the globe.

The common industry question at this time of year is ‘how was Christmas week.’ As is often the case, the answer varies by region. Generally the quality and quantity of snow has been good, and in some regions epic. Ski areas have seen strong demand from local markets similar to last year. This provides opportunity to maintain momentum of introducing skiing and snowboarding to new participants.

In many regions however, the opportunities above were tempered, often dramatically, by extreme cold and access issues. The weather resulted in many ski area closures on the coldest days. Catastrophic highway closures and continued highway restrictions also greatly impacted visitation at both ski areas and their dependent surrounding communities. Fortunately there is optimism that industry will be able to recapture some of the lost volume as the high demand for outdoor activity remains, and incremental bookings shift into the next part of the season.

Compounding factors like the weather has been the worker shortage. Staffing was at critical levels going into the season, and with the rapid transmission of the Omicron variant, ski areas and every other business in the country have been adjusting rapidly to ensure the safety of team members and guests, and adherence to all health protocols. CWSAA’s chair Andy Cohen is often quoted as saying ‘necessity is the mother of invention.’ This has been a mantra from the past two years, and will perhaps be one of the legacies created from this period. It has forced industry to consider what operations are most important, and alternative methods to delivering core services.

Behind the scenes, CWSAA continues to stay very close to various regulators in multiple jurisdictions.  Each has different orders and timelines. The ongoing work remains all-consuming, and includes proactively working with authorities on industry safety protocols, responding to new orders, and gaining clarity when required. The objective is to ensure guest and staff safety, and maintain the support for ski area operations that officials have expressed because of ski industry protocols. The physical and emotional well-being of residents is increasingly a consideration in public health discussions, and officials have repeatedly cited the importance of outdoor activity. Ski area operators have taken this social responsibility seriously - as a service provider and an employer. While exhausting, this due diligence to our industry safety protocols continues to be of the highest importance and enables our ski sector to continue serving our communities.

The above are all discussions and topics on the table for the next industry gathering. Currently, the in-person event is scheduled at the Chateau Lake Louise on April 26 – 28. As always, safety will be at the forefront of any such consideration. It goes without saying that the environment is fluid and we do not yet know what the pandemic will look like in the coming weeks and months. The CWSAA team continues to work with members and the host venue on delivery options. It is clear that any spring gathering will not be the same as past. Even the event name may likely be changed to something other than spring conference. CWSAA will update membership as clarity evolves in the coming weeks, and similar to last year an in-person and a virtual contingency is being planned.

As always, the CWSAA team is here to serve the membership.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out.

– Christopher Nicolson