Ski Traffic Analysis - Winter 08/09 July 16 2009, 4:15pm via thevaleniseko.com

Niseko                - 11%
All Hokkaido       - 10%
Hakuba               - 7%
Nagano               - 3%
Kansai                - 3%
Tochigi                -11%

Niseko’s 11% drop off was largely due to the decline in overnight visitors as day skier numbers were stable with single day pass sales 98% of the previous year’s levels.

However the decline can be explained further in demographic changes in the market. Last year marked the beginning of a new era in the Niseko market with many non-skiing winter guests.

Large Asian families coming on holiday often included many relative who did not ski. We expect this trend to continue as those who have no interest in skiing come to Niseko for the luxury accommodation, food, onsen and scenery.

Almost 7million ski lifts were taken in Niseko last season; 18% more than the combined total of the other 15 largest ski resorts in Hokkaido (excluding Niseko).

According to Masamichi Togashi, our domestic marketing manager and long term resident of Niseko, the mountain is still operating well under capacity based upon the number of skiers which visited Niseko in the past.

Niseko’s skier numbers have risen considerably over the last 5 years, however Togashi claims approximately 3 times the number of skiers enjoyed Niseko’s powder in 1990 during the Japanese bubble era ski boom.

Sources:
Hokkaido Cableway Association
Tokyu Resort Services

(Extract from “Niseko Alpine Review - July 09″ - to subscribe for your latest edition click here)