Hi, does anyone know what this seasons skier numbers were at each of the centres?

Here are the numbers for the 2017/18 season. For perspective, the numbers in brackets are the percentage market shares for the 2017/18 season and the long term average market shares up to 2013.

CairnGorm: 59,003 [23.62%, 39.86%]
Glenshee: 76,367 [30.57%, 27.35%]
Lecht: 40,047 [16.02%, 15.16%]
Nevis: 33,000 [13.21%, 9.56%]
Glencoe: 41,431 [16.58%, 8.07%]


Kind regards

Olderalan

Looks quite heathy for most, but what are the long term average totals?

Notable that CG has just about managed to halve its market share.

Thanks for that information. Im slightly surprised that the Lecht had more visitors than Nevis range, given the limited terain that is in offer there. I'd be interested to know if the use of the snowfactory had any impact at the end of the season.

Certainly an amazing improvement for Glencoe this year with double the customers it has seen in previous years - no doubt the onsite accomodation coupled with the great snow conditions this year has been a factor. I also just felt it to be the 'friendliest' ski area.

The Lecht is great for groups which bump the numbers up. NR not so great in that respect.

Those are not great numbers for Cairngorm, are they? I wonder what it is that they are not doing and others are? Irony alert.

They are frankly appalling and of significant concern to businesses reliant on year round tourism in and around Aviemore. At least since we've had 5 commercial snowsports areas that is CairnGorm Mountain's lowest ever market share.

Both CairnGorm's 2004-2013 decadal market share and the number of days with genuinely skiable cover to the Daylodge are indicative that this should have been just over a 100,000 skier day season on CairnGorm.





Adjusting the HIE 2011 strategic review figures for inflation, the loss of market share compared to the 2004-2013 10 year period equates to a loss of revenue LAST winter of £1.2million for CML alone.

Once low and high estimates for revenue lost to the Strath as a whole are added to the CML revenue loss using HIE methodology the approximate 40% market collapse evidenced in winter 2018 equates to between £4.2m and £4.6m of lost spend in Strathspey.

That is a massive financial impact on an area like Strathspey and added on top of that is the loss of senior jobs, directorships, some of the following functions - HR, finance, marketing, project planning etc not just from the local economy but from Scotland. All the directors of CML are ordinarily resident outside Scotland, never mind the locality.

In today's prices the accumulated financial loss to Strathspey by CML's market share collapse since 2014 is in the region of £10million (+/- £0.5m) vs CML having maintained it's long term market share.

The proposed dryslope and Ptarmigan extension will do nothing to address this. Indeed the supporting documentation for the Ptarmigan Restaurant rebuild even shows there will be no uplift (pardon the pun) in the skier market from the project.

Perhaps HIE can explain how all this is 'strengthening communities' of Strathspey?

The problems on CairnGorm did not start with Natural Retreats, indeed NR's are a symptom of a long term failure of management both on the part of CML and HIE. However Natural Retreats have from the market share collapse become part of the problem, not part of the solution.

There needs to be urgent change because two decades of deliberate managed decline looks perilously close to passing a point of no return for CairnGorm Mountain. With billions being spent on transport connectivity to Aviemore over the next 7 years between the A9 and Highland Mainline Improvements (including rolling stock improvements and replacements & service frequency increases) the capacity of CairnGorm should be being increased to capitalise on the new opportunities that are on the horizon.

Natural Retreats have lost the support of both the local and snowsports communities to the point that there is no way back for them. Natural Retreats can not therefore succeed on CairnGorm, if they will not accept it hasn't worked out and walk, then they must be removed by the powers that be.




Edited 1 times. Last edit at 12.47hrs Wed 30 May 18 by alan.

Attachments: 2018-MarketShare.png (16kB)   2004-2013-MarketShare.png (18kB)  

Should add to the above it's also a concern that while for last winter all areas showed an increased slice of the pie vs CairnGorm, there is a growing feeling what has happened on CairnGorm has not just resulted in displacement to the other areas but an overall shrinking of the pie as people are lost completely to Scottish Snowsports.

As someone who has spent many pounds in shops, bars, hotels and restaurants in Aviemore, not to mention hiring and buying kit, I'm really concerned for the wider economy in the area. This figures reveal a marked decline, and I'm really sorry for all those folk whose livelihoods depend on year round tourism.
Frankly,it's a car crash, and the people responsible should hang their heads in shame.
It is simple. Build chairlifts, be welcoming and enthusiastic about snow sports and people will come.

On a positive note : looks to me like best season ever for Glencoe ?
41K skiers days is well above average.



[www.haggistrap.co.uk]

Here are the numbers for Glencoe [market share percentages in brackets] back to 2003/4, which is as far back as I have the numbers.

2003/4: 7,000 [4.26%]
2004/5: 12,000 [8.15%
2005/6: 16,623 [10.74]
2006/7: 7,623 [9.65%
2007/8: 23,000 [13.94%]
2008/9: 16,899 [10.57%]
2009/10: 26,135 [6.97%]
2010/11: 14,037 [4.84%]
2011/12: 10,614 [8.06%]
2012/13: 24,000 [8.25%]
2013/14: 31,578 [13.43%]
2014/15: 35,046 [15.20%]
2015/16: 29,488 [14.21%]
2016/17: 5,941 [11.07%]
2017/18: 41,431 [16.58%]

Last season was probably the best ever? ......greatest numbers and highest market share. Hats off to everyone involved in the rise and rise of Glencoe

Great numbers for the coe.

It's got to be concerning for Aviemore though, as an example, this is the first year in 10 that I've not spent any night there over the winter (typically at least 3 or 4 nights). Took two families skiing, accommodation and restaurant money to one of the other Scottish centres this year.

I don't imagine that the Speyside business community will be too delighted by those figures.

The analysis above is convincing evidence (again) that some sort of Community Interest Company is the only logical option to save the future of snowsport at Cairngorm ?

It's upsetting really.

Cairngorm's where I learned and I used to stay in B&B's eat in restaurants in Aviemore, go to the pub etc.

But they never got a handle on queues (ironically less of an issue this year) and kept gutting the uplift. Always knew NR were going to be a pile of rubbish and so it has been proven though as said above it's not all their doing they're just part of a tradition of stepping on rakes and missing 6 yard sitters.

What am I supposed to do? Keep going for an increasingly unsatisfying experience, or take my skis to another centre that understands getting people up and spread about on a hill means we do more of what we want and have fun? I mean it's not rocket science why people have done this in numbers.

Also as has been pointed out NR are managing Cairngorm telegraphically - I actually paid Andy himself for one of my days at Glencoe this year, I know for damn sure that money's staying local.

Not sure how they go forward from here - I'd like to see a community bid for it but I'm dubious it can happen while old guard remain at HIE.

Could the drop in overall numbers be a fact that spare cash in everyone's pockets is being reduced more and more. To ski for 2 days and staying for 2 nights with a family will cost at least £300. Not a great deal for unreliable weather and ungrateful operating company (CML if anyone is wondering).