Somehow I don’t find this hard to believe, but for a country that has unpredictable average snow falls, compared to major resorts in US, Japan and Europe, this bites a bit.
Here are some excerpts of a study that was made into Lift Tickets around the world that I located on a snow blog, Gigasnow
Prices are in $US
“For the seventh consecutive year, independent ski area research company Snow24 plc, based in Scotland, Great Britain, has published its exclusive comparison of six-day lift ticket prices worldwide. 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. The cheapest ticket found was offered by Parque Caviahue in Argentina, at only $28.70 for six days.
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, as well as in European Euros and British Pounds.
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. The low value of the Dollar also means that for international guests, US skiing is the most affordable in recent memory, and The World Lift Ticket Price Report shows how prices in Europe and North America have moved closer together as a result“
“On an international level, formerly expensive ski nations like Germany and Japan are now amongst the most affordable, and Switzerland has relinquished its position as Europe’s most expensive lift ticket. Remarkably the most expensive lift tickets for single resorts in Europe are to be found in Spain, where price inflation has taken the cost of a six day pass at the continent’s most southerly ski resort, Sierra Nevada, to $320.
Amongst the world’s cheapest destinations, at less than $150 for six days, were resorts in Iran and the former Balkan war zones of Kosovo, Macedonia and the 1984 Winter Olympic city of Sarajevo. Smaller Canadian resorts also made it in at the bottom of the price scale – giving the country the greatest range in ticket prices – with Mont Habitant in Quebec coming in at $149.90. It has three lifts including a quad chair.
The average world six-day, high-season, lift ticket price is: $258.00
The average US six-day, high-season, lift ticket price is: $365.73
“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, 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.”“
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