Jasper ski resort saw 30% less visitors over winter season

JASPER – Marmot Basin had 30 per cent less visitors compared to a normal season due to a shortage of hotel rooms following the Jasper wildfire.

This drop did not take Jasper’s ski resort by surprise.

“Losing the rooms that we did in Jasper, we knew that would have the impact on our skier visits, and what we sort of expected in terms of business levels is exactly as it turned out,” said Brian Rode, vice president of Marmot Basin.

Like the rest of the Alberta Rockies, Jasper suffered from a lack of snow early in the season, which delayed opening day from Nov. 8 to Nov. 18.

Snowmaking got off to a late start because firefighters had used much of the water-making reservoir to save Marmot Basin from the fire, which Rode was ultimately grateful for despite the delay in snowmaking. Power was also not restored to the mountain until Oct. 28.

Once snow conditions do improve, the market takes time to react since skiers that come to Jasper must plan in advance, as opposed to the Banff area where Calgarians can take day trips for skiing.

Marmot Basin began seeing more traffic in February and had its busiest year on record for group business, with thousands of schoolchildren coming from the United Kingdom.

“We were happy that a lot of skiers did come to Jasper, and we were happy that when they got up to the ski area, they were very pleased with their experience, so I think that we’ll see a little added momentum next year,” Rode said. “Next year will be a stronger year, notwithstanding the fact that we will still have a lot less rooms than we did prior to the fire.”

This summer, Marmot Basin will focus on its regular maintenance, operating the Jasper Riding Stables and marketing to help rebuild its winter market, with a focus on bringing more international business over a longer stay.

Rode noted there was still hesitancy from many potential skiers about coming to Jasper and even some who thought most of Jasper had been destroyed.

“We’ll be working really hard, from a marketing perspective and communications perspective, on rebuilding the confidence in the Jasper destination and the skiing,” Rode said.

Although acknowledging it was costly to operate a ski resort and it would take a while for Jasper to recover, Rode was confident that Marmot Basin would be sustainable in the long term due to the commitment of owners and shareholders as well as the loyal following of customers.

He added that while customers come to ski or snowboard, they were also looking for a destination that provides a complete experience and chose to come back to Jasper due to its friendly, laid-back vibe that is devoid of crowds and the commercial trappings of other ski towns.

“It’s not until people get here and experience the Jasper culture and community that they really, really get it,” he said.