New Zealand's biggest ski area operators are predicting the 2009 ski and snowboard season will be the best yet, if, as hoped, an intense marketing campaign in Australia pays off.
CEO James Coddington and sales and marketing general manager David Ovendale told a crowd of about 120 at a Queenstown Chamber of Commerce seminar on Monday night that all the early indicators suggested big numbers of Australians were heading to New Zealand, despite the economic downturn.
"If there was ever a time to come skiing in New Zealand, this is it," Mr Coddington said.
"Together with our industry partners, we'll be waiting for them with arms wide open."
NZSki's two Queenstown bases - Coronet Peak and the Remarkables - are already geared up for winter with up-dated facilities, courtesy of the significant capital outlay by the owners.
"Seventy-eight million dollars in six years - I'm not aware of any others making that sort of investment," he said.
Coronet Peak, which benefitted from a $30 million injection of funds last year, has an extra 90 million litre water reserve this season, bringing the field's snow-making capabilities to 480 million litres, enough to cover its slopes in 3m of snow.
There were also two new groomers and a new conveyer lift near the creche, while the express chairlift had been upgraded.
It was a similar story at the Remarkables, he said.
There had been 3.6km of safety barriers installed on the steep access road and, after recent complaints about the reflective glare it gave off, it had been painted "at considerable expense".
However, it was hoped more patrons would use the much-improved bus transport system instead of driving to the field.
NZSki now had 32 buses ready for the new season, with an option to buy more, to provide transport from the Station Building in Queenstown to both skifields (free to Remarkables; $10 to Coronet Peak), and would also be working in partnership with Connectabus to ensure skiers and snowboarders could be picked up from hotels every 15 minutes.
There were three new groomers at the Remarkables plus a revamped guest service and retail area and the main conveyer had been repositioned closer to the base building.
Mr Coddington said NZSki's optimism about a boom winter season was based on several advance indicators, significantly a big jump in online bookings for ski passes and confirmed airfare sales.
But he warned Queenstown's accommodation providers that many people had only bought their tickets but had not yet booked rooms here because they were "looking for deals".
Mr Coddington outlined the threats to Queenstown enjoying a boom season this winter, mainly the Australian skifields, but he emphasised the need for local industry to work together to "maximise opportunities".
"NZSki wants to work with you all because we are all going to benefit if the skifields are full."
He also urged those in the service industries to lift their game this winter, saying Queenstown needed to do more to live up to its claim of being a world-class resort.
Chamber of Commerce chairman Alistair Porter said he had been in Australia recently and there was "phenomenal noise" across the Tasman about the upcoming ski season in New Zealand.
