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What Was Bad Is Now Good, Says NSAA's Berry

By Craig Altschul
May 07, 2007

He said he is so optimistic going into this annual convention, that he'd make the prediction that "the upward attendance trend for U.S. ski resorts will take the industry past 60 million fairly soon and that 65 million is likely in 7-9 years." He said a weather situation like the past season is an every 5-6 year occurrence.

Renewable energy and sustainability will continue to be an overriding issue at the event, as it has been for several years. The Gold and Silver Eagle Award will be given (as usual, Aspen is a nominee for the top award).

NSAA tackles environmental issues on a number of fronts, Berry said. Individual resorts get examples and training which, he noted, is particularly important for smaller areas; the Keep Winter Cool campaign is aimed at consumers; and efforts continue to pick the right battles to fight with legislators and congress.

In fact, Berry notes that the 2007 convention and trade show is being powered by 100 percent renewable energy with RECs (renewable energy credits) donated by Renewable Choice Energy of Boulder, Colo. That translates to enough savings to avert nearly 12 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

Another major focus is not new, but continual. That is how to bring entry level skiers along to make them regulars. "The smaller urban resorts are doing fine and the industry needs to continue efforts to move them along."

NSAA will honor Orville and Izzy Slutzky, founders and developers of Hunter Mt. Ski Bowl in New York's Catskill Mountains with its Lifetime Achievement Award for "their extraordinary committment to the ski industry. the award will be presented Tuesday (5/8).

The NSAA convention targets a primarily different audience than the Mountain Travel Symposium, the industry's other major spring event, he said.

"We aim our programming at the top four key managers at each resort, including the CEO, CFO, chief marketer, and operations heads. The Mountain Travel Symposium does a terrific job of putting buyers and sellers together," he said. "The NSAA conference deals with future trends, demographics, and issues that have significant long-term impact."

He said the NSAA Trade Show portion of the convention has evolved over the years and is not as important as a "buying" event as it is an information setting, getting conference attendees together with key resort vendors on a face-to-face basis. "The best selling opportunities will probably be in the 19th hole of the The La Quinta Dunes Golf Club, said one long-time exhibitor. "That's where most of the decision-makers will be hiding."

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