Thursday, May 25, 2006

Record Skier/Rider Numbers for '05 - '06 Season

The number of skiers and snowboarders in the United States reached a record 58.8 million last season, up 3.3 percent from a year ago, according to preliminary data from the National Ski Areas Association.

Industry growth is being spurred by the popularity of skiing and snowboarding with a younger crowd and equipment improvements that allow aging baby boomers to stay on the snow longer, NSAA president Michael Berry said Tuesday.

"It's a multigenerational phenomenon," he told The Denver Post. "Baby boomers, their children and their grandchildren are all out there skiing. The resorts have become true multigenerational gathering places."

The association represents 325 alpine resorts nationwide.

The six-state Rocky Mountain region, which includes Colorado, saw a 5.8 percent gain in skier visits, or more than 1.1 million people, to finish at 20.8 million skier visits for the 2005-06 ski season. The state's 25 ski resorts may top 12 million skier visits for the first time this season, though those numbers are still pending.

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