While Treble Cone is finding things tight, elsewhere in the Southern Lakes region skifield operators are more optimistic about the 2009 season.
NZSki yesterday reported a "quietly confident" attitude ahead of the new season, having experienced a "very good financial result" in 2008, better than had been expected.
Chief executive James Coddington said skier days were also up, but he declined to say by how many.
In the 2007-08 summer, NZSki invested $30 million on Coronet Peak, upgrading the base facility and installing an automated snow-making system across the mountain.
Further development was planned this year, but Mr Coddington would not release any details of what that development might be or where.
However, he did say there were no plans to put that investment on hold because of the economic climate.
"We have a long-term vision and view which we took for the development of all three of our ski areas. We are sticking to that.
"We are confident heading into this season. It is a changing environment, in which every business has to weather the storm. [But] we are confident because generally skiers and snowboarders will come.
"We're blessed that they are very passionate about their sport and they sacrifice other things to [come here and ski or board]."
Mr Coddington said a large part of the company's confidence was gained from interest already being shown from the Australian market.
The low interest rate at the moment was "like having a sign saying 25% off everything" as soon as Australian tourists arrived, he said.
"A lot of Australians who are skiers or snowboarders . . . haven't gone to North America and Europe and they are excited about skiing in New Zealand, some for the first time, others for the second, third, fourth or fifth time.
"It makes more economic sense for them. It's a good value holiday. Where it's going to be interesting is the end of the season and the start."
Mr Coddington said traditionally the two extremes of the season were quiet and while the ski areas could always rely on school holidays as peak times, getting people on the slopes earlier and staying longer was always a challenge.
That would partly be dependent on the snow conditions, he said.
"If we're blessed like Europe and North America have been [with heavy snow falls] it will be great."
