U.S. Ski Industry Reports Record Visits for the 2021-22 Season

The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) reported record visitation at U.S. ski areas for the 2021-22 season, a total of 61 million skier visits.

This is an increase of 3.5 percent over last season’s national number. Skiing and snowboarding have rebounded in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, providing economic relief and thousands of jobs to communities across 37 ski states.

Strong season pass sales and a continued desire for outdoor recreation are two of the primary contributing factors to the season’s record-breaking results.

NSAA has been tracking skier visits since the 1978-79 season; you can find historical visitation numbers here. A skier visit is recorded every time an individual uses a lift ticket or pass at a ski area. Although a handful of U.S. ski areas are still spinning their lifts, the number is not expected to increase significantly.

Regional Impacts

NSAA divides the country into six regions. The Rocky Mountain region reported a record high number of skier visits, totaling 25.2 million visits.

Other regions with increases in season-over-season skier visits were the Northeast, Midwest and Pacific Southwest. Only two regions – the Southeast and Pacific Northwest – reported decreases in skier visits compared to 2020-21.

What the Number Means

This record visitation signals that the U.S. ski industry is healthy, and that the demand for outdoor recreation remains strong.

Strong skier numbers bode well for the long-term health of the sport, especially since participant numbers have been relatively flat over the past decade. The number of operating ski areas also jumped from 462 last season to 473 this season, another positive indicator.

Season Passes Holding Strong

For the third season in a row, season passes surpassed day tickets in share of skier visits.

Season pass holders made up 51.9 percent of visits nationally, with day tickets claiming 37.3 percent of visits (the balance is claimed by off-duty employees, complimentary products, etc.).

Ski areas of all sizes, from small to large, in all regions of the country saw an increase in number of season passes sold.