Travel Agent - Ski University - (Page S2) 2 | 3 SKI UNIVERSITY 3.0 • A Travel Agent Specialist Program preceding and during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. There will be a “significant flow-on effect” of visitors who wish to ski or snowboard the mountains in North America, and, IBISWorld says, the massive media and cultural hype surrounding those games is likely to increase interest and participation in the sport of skiing overall. Agents should also take interest in some of NSAA’s demographic findings. Most importantly, the association finds in its 2008 National Demographic Study that the proportion of visitors ages The winter 2008-2009 session of Ski University is filled 45 to 54 has increased with sales tips and other useful information on ski resorts from 14 percent to 19.9 throughout the western U.S. and Canada to help you match percent since 1997-98; in your clients with the resort that best suits their needs. the same time period, the As a graduate of Ski U 3.0 you’ll be better qualified proportion of ski travelto profit from this lucrative industry and, when you’ve ers 55 to 64 has doubled, passed the final exam, you’ll also be automatically from 4.6 percent to 9.2 entered in a drawing for one of three $100 gift cards. percent. And while this You’ll find the exam online at www.tauniv.com. You presents some challenges can also choose to take the entire course online as well. for the industry in the The opening story will get you up to speed on the long-distance future— state of the ski market and the myriad sales opporthere is an urgent need tunities that await the knowledgeable ski seller. On to attract younger skiers page 4 begins a special feature on Colorado, the most and riders, in order to popular destination among agents’ ski clients, followed maintain skiing/snowby a roundup of other great western ski resort boarding’s long-term areas starting on page 10. viability—there is no After you’ve read through Ski University 3.0, go to doubt that snowsports www.tauniv.com to take the final exam. While you’re clientele is concentrated there you’ll also find bonus coverage on New England in two age groups with and Europe, plus a profile of a major demographic, the money and the will family ski market (81 percent of agents says they book and ability to travel. families for ski trips) to boost your ski IQ even higher. NSAA cites the “loyalty and staying power of older participants” Travel Agent Custom Solutions is a as a key to its recent success. In last division of Questex Media, 757Third year’s National Demographic Study, Avenue, NewYork, NewYork 10017. NSAA found that the proportion of ski © 2008. All rights reserved. Although every effort has been made to guarantee the accuracy of information appearing visitors living in family or empty nest within this supplement, we cannot be responsible for typohouseholds has increased, while the graphical errors, omissions or changes since this publication proportion of singles has decreased. went to press. The study identifies a “three-generation Cover photo courtesy of Vail Resorts phenomenon” as baby boomers (ages Become a Ski Specialist 44 to 62) continue to participate in skiing, while their children and grandchildren also take up skiing and riding. The trend toward families skiing together mirrors some of the data collected in an April 2008 survey of agents by Travel Agent Media Group, with the assistance of Ski.com. Of the 1,531 agents who responded, nearly half, 45.9 percent, said that they book mountain travel holidays. And 81 percent said that families composed their ski/snowboard clientele, with 75.7 percent reporting that they book couples on ski trips. A significantly smaller percentage, 50.4 percent, said that they book singles. A large majority, 83.2 percent, said they book clients for midscale trips; 32.7 said they send clients on luxury ski vacations. LEADING DESTINATIONS Colorado was the top destination for these agents’ clients, at 79.4 percent, followed by Utah, at 48.1 percent; Canada, 35.9 percent; and California, 24.1 percent. When selecting a resort, lodging’s proximity to slopes or lifts ranked very high, with 67.8 percent of respondents saying that criterion was “very important.” Other considerations scoring high marks were cost, proximity to the airport, nightlife and off-mountain activities. Finally, when booking a specific resort over another, 69.9 percent of agents listed “client request” as the most important influence. Reputation and price/value also scored over 50 percent, proving that those old standby categories still carry a lot of weight, and that it’s often money that carries the day. — Fred Folmer Snowbird Park City Mountain Resort http://www.Ski.com http://www.tauniv.com http://www.tauniv.com
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