The ski areas lost 20 percent of its customers in only four years. By 1991, skier visits had fallen to 4.1 million. Travel and tourism has changed in the last 25 years. The ski areas also have changed. The skier is more of a vacationer and real estate investor now than just a casual athlete.
People demand more amenities.
They want to use their condo year-round. The ski areas want to be four-season resorts, as well as conference centers. But skiing is still the mother lode and the reason these vacation spots exist where they do. How to get to 5.5 million skier visits is the problem. The idea is to create a kind of alpine theme park.