• Canadian resorts move in to the list of the world’s 10 most expensive tickets.
• Canadian ticket may be northern hemisphere’s most expensive outside peak season.

For the seventh year, independent ski area research company Snow24 plc, based in
Scotland, Great Britain, have published their unique comparison of six-day lift ticket prices worldwide. The World Lift Ticket Price Report, sponsored by Liftopia.com, compares the high season, non-discounted, prices of ski passes at more than 550 ski areas in 40 countries* around the world in US Dollars, European Euros and British Pounds.

As in previous years US resorts lead the world in headline lift ticket prices with Vail selling the world’s most expensive peak season six day lift ticket at $552 (US). The cheapest ticket found was offered by Parque Caviahue in Argentina, at only $28.70 (US) for six days. But then Vail could argue their guests are buying more than six times the uplift capacity, with the Vail pass offering more than 25 high speed quad chairs, compared to Parque Caviahue’s one (not-high speed).

However Canadian resorts, 50 of which are included in the Report, are for the first time amongst the world’ ten most expensive, as the US dollar weakens. The Ski Big 3 Pass that covers Sunshine, Lake Louise and Mount Norquay resorts around Banff is, along with Fernie, Lake Louise and Whistler, one of the four Canadian ski passes in the world’s ten most expensive. Unlike Vail, which offers discounts of up to $235 (US) for advance internet buyers visiting low season, the price for the Ski Big 3 ticket only drops a few bucks outside high season, so it is potentially the Northern Hemisphere’s most expensive six day lift ticket outside holiday periods.
Although Vail has topped the price table for some years, a basket of 50 US resort prices has for the first time seen the average price of a US ticket drop from the “most expensive” in the world” to fourth place behind Australia, South Africa and the world’s first indoor ski resort, Dubai. Canada was the seventh most expensive on average, behind South Korea and New Zealand in addition. The average Canadian six day, high season, non-discounted, ticket price was $297.61.

2. It’s important to note that few people will actually pay these maximum prices,” said Report Editor Patrick Thorne, “Whilst US resorts come out as the world’s most expensive on paper, the reality is that resorts like Vail and Whistler have the most sophisticated pricing models with dozens of price combinations and many ways to pay much less. A recent report in the Vail Daily News said that whilst Vail had the most expensive day ticket of $92 (US), in reality last winter it averaged $47 (US) per day ticket sold. In other parts of the world prices are often set at one rate all winter, so whilst you may get a better price at the ticket window high season, you’re less likely to make much of a saving any time. If cost is an issue there are hundreds of great small Canadian ski areas that charge a fraction of the lift ticket cost for six days on their, albeit more limited, slopes than the big places out West. ”
Evan V. Reece, co-founder of Report sponsor Liftopia, Inc., agreed, “There are ways to save on lift tickets if one is flexible and knows where to look. Skiers and riders can find substantial savings by traveling during off-peak times, or by booking a package deal. If someone is willing to commit in advance to a specific date, they can often find lift tickets at up to 60% off at an increasing number of resorts through Liftopia.com as well. Resorts use the platform to safely discount their unsold inventory, attracting incremental business and helping folks ski more than they would otherwise.”
In the longer term, on an international scale, formerly expensive ski nations, 15-20 years ago, like Germany and Japan are now amongst the most affordable and Switzerland relinquished its position as Europe’s most expensive lift ticket some years ago to a pass covering 500 miles of ski runs at a dozen resorts around Chamonix in France which costs $377 (US). Remarkably the most expensive lift tickets for single resorts in Europe are to by found in Spain, where price inflation has taken the cost of a six day pass at former Alpine World Championships centre and arguably the continents most southerly ski resort, Sierra Nevada, to $320 (US).
Amongst the world’s cheapest destinations, at less than $150 (US) for six days, were resorts in Iran and the former Balkan war zones of Kosovo, Macedonia and the 1984 Winter Olympic city of Sarajevo.
In a detailed section on child ticket pricing variations around the world, the Report praises Canada for having some of the most generous discounts for kids of any country in the world. However the pricing structure across the country was seen as needlessly complex, with the Report identifying Canadian resorts which published pricing (1) including taxes (2) not including taxes and saying so and how big a percentage the tax would be (3) not including taxes, saying so, but not saying how big an additional percentage the tax would be and (4) not saying whether the price included tax or not.
The average world six-day, high-season, lift ticket price is: $258.00 (US)
“Overall ski resorts offer excellent value for money in all price bands,” said Patrick Thorne, “If you think about the increased power costs worldwide, exacerbated by the need to spend ever more on snowmaking to ensure maximum opening. Then with increasing labor and insurance costs and the endless battle to remain competitive in a global market, it’s remarkable that price inflation is kept so low.”

3 The World Lift Ticket Price Report, sponsored by Liftopia.com is available to order as an 11,000 word Word document, by email, priced at $ 190 from Snow24 plc (wow.snow24.com). Send orders to info@snow24.com

Editor’s Notes:
The World Lift Ticket Price Report, sponsored by Liftopia.com Features:
• Highest, lowest and average ticket prices by country, continent, hemisphere and planet.
• Price trend guide – resorts and countries getting more expensive or cheaper on the world scale. Purchasing and selling trends.
• Multi – area pass prices.
• Hourly lift capacity purchased for every lift ticket.
New this year:
• Optional additional spreadsheet with detailed 1 and 6 day min and max prices for children, teens, adults and seniors, age ranges, ticket descriptions and online purchase options at more than 400 resorts in Europe and North America.
• Indoor ski resorts included in price comparison.
• Average prices per country, based on 50+ resorts for major ski nations **.
• The world’s five most expensive lift tickets for the past five years.
• Best prices for families by country breakdown with year-by-year age guide from 1 to 18.
• Highest and lowest priced resorts in each country.
• Ticket prices from several countries not previously included, including Israel, South Africa, United Arab Emirates and Kosovo.

Notes:
* Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic, Dubai (UAE), Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Scotland, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, USA
** 50+ resorts priced from each of Austria, Canada, France, Italy, Switzerland, USA.
10+ resorts priced from each of Australia, Czech Republic, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden.

More Information:
Patrick Thorne, Editor, Snow24 plc: patrick@patrickthorne.com
Evan V. Reece, co-founder, Liftopia llc: evan@liftopia.com Direct line: (415) 218-1810