 Poster: A snowHead
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CdA operate 14 ski resorts in Europe
This years results could be described as flat.
http://www.compagniedesalpes.com/sites/default/files/CDA%20CA%20S1%202013-2014%20English%20version.pdf
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Ski areas:
At €342.2 million, Ski area activity was down 1.4% in the first half. Nonetheless, due to both the spring school vacation schedule and Easter weekend falling in mid-April, overall activity for the FY is expected to be on balance. This must be put into perspective after two years of strong growth. This solid business level testifies to Ski areas' resilience in an unfavorable context characterized by increased VAT, unfavorable European school vacation schedules and poor weather conditions in the second quarter.
Sales fell by 1.8%, not including real estate transactions. Sales comprise two categories: Ski lift activity in itself, which was down 2.3%, and associated activities, which rose by nearly 6%.
The number of skier-days remained at record levels during the school vacation period. However, inter- season periods saw significantly lower volume.
In total, the number of skier-days declined by 4.7% in comparison with the very high levels seen during the same period in the two previous FYs (+2% in 2011/2012 and +2.7% in 2012/2013). |
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The number of skier days remained at record levels during the school vacation period. However, inter-season periods saw significantly lower volume.
That was an interesting observation - it suggests that ski holidays are becoming even more clustered in the school holidays - I remain puzzled as to why lift-pass prices in most resorts do not respond at all to this situation. If TOs, ski schools, easyJet and apartment owners can stick their prices up in the busy times (and are forced to drop them outside those times) why don't lift companies follow suit?
There are some "promotions" (e.g. Espace Diamant passes are a bargain price on Saturdays and Miranda has described her season pass, which is very cheap but prohibits skiing at the busiest times) but, on the whole, they are the same throughout the main part of the season.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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pam w, indeed, I guess the UK rules are having an effect as well.
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boredsurfin, yep - would feel about right given the season.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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pam w, good idea to increase lift pass price for specific weeks ifirc La Plagne had high and low season prices a few years ago.
IMHO the higher cost could be justified due to the extra staff and extra hours the lift co' staff have to work in the peak weeks.
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Hardly epic snow conditions for much of the year either. L2A is run by CDA and that seems about right.
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maybe they would make more money by putting the prices down? Lift passes for us are roughly a third of the total holiday cost and were a key decision in only skiing once this season
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Serre Chevalier is also CDA, and was very quiet in JAnuary and late March. My own apartment did OK, but some others were less well occupied. Lift pass prices have increased over the last couple of seasons.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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maybe they would make more money by putting the prices down?
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not in peak times, as demand then is staying at record levels and there isn't much evidence of price elasticities of demand. But yes, given there is a lot of spare capacity at other times, I'd have thought there were strong arguments for some lower prices and special promotions. A season pass which allowed skiing only outside school holidays might be a big seller.
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There were lots of combined accommodation and lift pass offers on SC tourist office website, and offers for April of buy one adult pass, get a child pass free, as well as similar offers in the restaurants.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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pam w, Indeed - should have made that clear.
Hells Bells, Yes noticed Arc was offering Easter specials and Family deals, they also had a discount for buying early.
Just checked and last trip, lift passes cost £744 out of a total spend of £3006 - so make that a quarter not a third - but is still a hefty whack for families. Will get worse for us next trip as the boys move up into the next age group and price bracket.
Liking to the various ski safety threads of late, I'm sure we won;t be the only ones who will manage to pay for lift passes by not paying for lessons. Maybe some opportunities to link the 2 as an incentive here (I think some places already do)
I feel I should point out that all the kids have progressed to Gold standard with ESF lessons now so are in control - not like I'm throwing them out there to be a danger
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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boredsurfin, you note I also said kids - I'm an out of control loon
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You know it makes sense.
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Further down the full HY report :
At April 20, 2014, the Ski lift business had mostly made up for its earlier underperformance, standing at only
1% below 2013 levels. This progress confirms projected balanced activity overall for the financial year.
So given the poorer snow in the French Alps (where most of their resorts lie) not a deal to worry about.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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So given the poorer snow in the French Alps
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Was OK, generally. Snow depths above seasonal average in many areas until the last blistering hot weeks and even then I think most resorts were open till advertised closing dates.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Boris, do you not qualify for a family pass up until age 18? You do in Serre Chevalier.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hells Bells, You are an adult at 13 in Alpe d'Huez  They do have discounts that apply for families with "offspring" up to 19 years though.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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skitow, which is the point I was making.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Hells Bells, there is still a family pass, but we have to buy one pass as well as family pass is for 4. In the past we have also got discounted rates by booking accommodation through tourist board.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Boris, you get a child rate for a third child over 13 if you are adding them onto a family pass in Serre Che . It is still an expensive hobby no matter what way you look at it.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Hells Bells wrote: |
| skitow, which is the point I was making. |
Yes, re-read it now with my reading glasses on 
My son actually got stopped twice in Serre Chevalier, he is tall for his age, when the light things flagged him up as a child. The first time when she asked him his age and he replied 14, I think, it got more complicated until she realised that he was still a child when the pass started.
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It is still an expensive hobby no matter what way you look at it.
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But worth it 
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Boris, my thoughts exactly.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| chocksaway wrote: |
Further down the full HY report :
At April 20, 2014, the Ski lift business had mostly made up for its earlier underperformance, standing at only
1% below 2013 levels. This progress confirms projected balanced activity overall for the financial year.
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I'd be interested to know the overall trend since Lehman went down the tubes. Resorts certainly feel emptier to me.
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On family ski holidays I can still remember the sinking feeling when I handed my credit card over for 5 lift passes with the thought "there's nothing I can do about this cost". We worked hard on all the other costs. We invariably went in early January (kids out of school, lowest costs of the year), we stayed in low budget chalets or self-catering, we very rarely had "proper" lunch (chalet breakfast and tea being the chance to stock up, and everyone had choc bars in the pocket) and we had very few drinks on the slopes. And it STILL cost hugely more than any other week in our year!
But yes, worth it! Even though it means that I have three kids who love skiing who all now have kids who either love skiing already or fell in love with snow at first sight! So the expenditure is unlikely to end.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| boredsurfin wrote: |
pam w, good idea to increase lift pass price for specific weeks ifirc La Plagne had high and low season prices a few years ago.
IMHO the higher cost could be justified due to the extra staff and extra hours the lift co' staff have to work in the peak weeks. |
Are extra staff and extra hours worked in peak weeks? The lifts open and close at the same time outside peak weeks so why would that be? Okay there may be more skiers using the lifts and slopes but I can't say I have noticed an increased number of staff at the lifts or on the slopes.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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pam w, Indeed - we self-cater and come back for lunch and try and keep costs down as much as possible - but the weeks skiing costs more than all our other breaks put together!
Looking like next trip will be Easter 15, as Easter is early, which will hopefully be a bit easier on the pocket as apartment prices generally less and weather usually permits a few picnics
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Boris, carting 5 of us around was always expensive. We used to give the children an amount of Austrian schillings every day which was enough to give them a cheapish lunch (particularly if they got themselves back to the gasthof and found their ever generous grandpa who was in residence there) and the odd drink if they needed it, and I got into the habit of going out and getting rolls etc when they had hollow legs and they could eat those in advance of buying a plate of chips. We used to make one son in particular have lots of water to drink before going down for supper in the evening as otherwise he would down a coke and then sit and tap his glass.
When we found ourselves skiing on our own for the odd break without them it was bliss to be able to stop for a drink for just 2 of us rather than 5. And as we generally skied at Christmas and New Year as a family the whole trip was really their Christmas present. Didn't make it any cheaper of course!
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FAQ
