By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
MANCHESTER – New Hampshire Tourism Director Lori Harnois told members of the state’s ski industry to prepare for a busy winter season with more visitors and spending expected.
Attending the winter kickoff event for Ski NH at the base lodge for McIntyre Ski Area in Manchester Friday night, Harnois said her department’s research shows the state has recovered from the worst of the pandemic and that travel and tourism business levels are either back at the levels of the 2019 winter season or actually have exceeded that.
She said the state is anticipating 2.9 million visitors this winter season and continued growth in spending with estimates of $1.3 billion for the season.
“We are very excited for the winter season,” Harnois said, noting that tourism is the second largest sector of the state’s economy.
Gas prices, inflation, and the weather are factored into those projected numbers, she said, hoping for more snow in the upcoming forecasts.
Many ski area operators said they are returning to pre-COVID-19 protocols and are no longer requiring masking and reservations, but some are keeping to some protocols in place which are meant to keep indoor areas safe.
Harnois noted that the state is again partnering with the industry for an advertising campaign that will highlight the state as the adventure destination for New England.
“Some of the edgier winter experiences will be highlighted,” she said including skinning up mountains to ski down and bicycling in the snow on “fat tire” bikes, and skiing in backcountry glades to name a few.
Those images, along with photos of off-slope activities from tax-free shopping to apres-ski activities will be sent as advertising to television stations social media, and to social media influencers to lure visitors here.
In terms of the target audiences, the state is going after a northeast market and southern Quebec and has advertisements placed for the New York City audiences, and at the New England Aquarium in Boston.
Jessyca Keeler, president of Ski NH, a trade association that represents 32 alpine and cross-country ski areas https://www.skinh.com/ hosted the event with McIntyre.
The evening event included representatives of Clean Energy NH, Eversource, Lakes Region Tourism Association, and Janel Lawton, the new director of the state’s Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry Development with the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs.
Also attending were state Senators Ruth Ward of Stoddard, a Republican whose district includes the Mount Sunapee ski area in Newbury, and Carrie Gendreau of Littleton, a Republican who is entering her first term in the state Senate. Her district includes many of the ski areas in the northern part of the state.
McIntrye, while among the smallest ski areas in the state, provides 25,000 school lessons for area children each winter and is a powerful feeder into the industry.
The cold weather has helped some ski areas open for the 2023-24 season including Bretton Woods, Loon, Wildcat, and Cranmore, Keeler said.
Many are hoping to open this coming weekend and will hope to be able to take advantage of the lucrative week between Christmas and New Year.
She said that New Hampshire is marketing its affordability, its short distance from major markets and tax-free shopping.
“A lot of investment is pointing to the strength of the industry,” Keeler said.
She noted Waterville Valley is finishing its six-pack bubble chair lift, Attitash has its new progression quad lift opening soon, Loon has finished a new express quad and has a plan for expanding onto 30 acres to add to its terrain next year, which will include a new four-seat chair and snowmaking and Black Mountain has restored its J-bar which is the oldest overhead cable lift in the state, installed in 1935.
Cranmore, she said, is working on a new day lodge for next year and a new hotel is under construction with reservations being taken for February.
The industry is working to make itself more sustainable and has its eyes on climate change, Keeler noted.