Happy Summer! While we’re experiencing these sweltering temperatures, it’s time to start thinking of skiing with Crescent Ski Council. Sign-ups started June 15th for both of Crescent’s trips to Steamboat and Telluride. Registrations for both of these great trips are off to a good start. If you haven’t yet signed up, be sure to do so soon. Several Clubs also have some great trips planned for this season. Be sure to check Club Trips on the website. For your information, most tour operators are contracting for a 90 day cancellation policy (minus a minimal administration fee) of groups due to governmental directives or travel restrictions caused by COVID-19 outbreaks. Additionally, many others in the industry, especially lodging properties, have relaxed their policies.
The COVID-19 pandemic has and is causing unprecedented changes to both health and economy throughout the U.S. and world, with skyrocketing unemployment claims, hotel occupancies less than 10%, hospitals realigning their care areas, restaurants closing, and a host of other impacts not yet realized. The NSAA estimates the direct revenue loss to U.S. ski areas is approximately $2 billion. We don’t really know the lasting impact because we’ve never before experienced anything like this. In his article: Shock, Recovery Trends in the U.S. Ski Industry, Dave Berlin identified five (5) seasons with below average skier visits. These were: the 1980 recession and very low snow year in the Rockies; the 1990/91 recession, Gulf War, and low snow season; the 2001 recession and 9/11; the Great recession of 2008/09; and the low snow season across the country in 2011/12. Each of these seasons experienced between 2.9 million and 9.5 million fewer skier visits. The good news is that skier visits rebounded after a poor year with an average 11.7% increase (NSAA journal Volume 28, Issue 3).
Speaking of the ski industry, the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) published some interesting information related to the impacts of COVID-19 in their Unconventional 2020 edition of the NSAA journal (Volume 28, Issue 3). The NSAA conducted a survey of member ski areas and suppliers between March 27 and April 13 where 172 ski areas and 42 suppliers responded. The majority of respondents reported the following: - an overall loss in revenue between 21% - 40%, and they projected an overall loss of over $7 million in revenue - over 60% of ski areas anticipate that capital projects will be either greatly or severely impacted. This is due, in part because the contractors, suppliers and workforce are too uncertain to proceed at this time - 44% of employees have been laid off and 54% of employees were furloughed (avg. furlough is 8 weeks) - 70% of supplier respondents report cash flow will be severely or greatly impacted - One industry respondent reported a 55% decline in season pass sales for the spring deadline with a 65% decrease in revenue for March.
Steve Broski and Sara Clemens with Sports America Tours wrote an interesting account of what they are seeing so far with regard to our ski club partners and trip bookings for the upcoming season. It provides a look at where the ski industry was in April, where it is now, and may serve to ease some of your concerns. Here is the article: https://www.sportsamerica.com/insights/covid-impact-on-skiclubs.php? fbclid=IwAR339OQgWLxGZAuY2nmr_zIbOQe_nj1rTs_S-fhBx_F6HhRBDt0rYRJEU7M. It’s
still too early to tell how this ski season will fare. The data does show that skiers returned to the slopes after a poor year. I hope you will feel comfortable moving forward making trip reservations.
Please share this Update with your members by including it in your Club’s newsletters and/or placing it on your Club’s website. You can also direct your members to Crescent’s website, https://www.crescentskicouncil.org/, where the President’s Update is posted. Let’s keep communications going to our members so they can be informed! Please add me to your e-list if your Club sends electronic newsletters and emails to your members, and also be sure to send them to Pat Harvey, Social Media Chair. Additionally, Crescent loves new volunteers - you are always welcome to join us! I would love to hear your suggestions and/or recommendations. Feel free to contact me with your interests or to learn more about your Council. Keep the ideas coming to keep Crescent the BEST Council in the country! CRESCENT TRIPS (Lisa Beregi) Registration opened June 15th for both Steamboat and Telluride, and we have had good numbers already sign up! Steamboat is already over 100 and Telluride has 68 so far. Keep up the selling!
It is also time to bid for 2022 Ski Week - I requested club Trip Leaders to vote for a short list in April, and have asked those that didn't respond again in the June update to vote so we can start the process.
Not a lot to report at this time, so sell trips and stay safe!
Lisa Beregi CSC Trip Chair [email protected]
CONVENTIONS (Michelle Shuford) Save the dates and make plans for attending the upcoming 2020 CSC Fall Conference, again at the Glenstone Lodge in Gatlinburg, TN. The dates are October 16-18, 2020. Your room rate is $96 + taxes. All the information and registration information is in the attached package. We are working on alternate plans to accommodate COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and guidelines, such as possibly conducting the Trade Show via video conference and using social distancing in the meeting rooms. Tennessee has now opened up restaurants (with 6’ distancing between tables), other public places, and attractions. We’ll see how it goes. As of now, the rate of new COVID cases is decreasing with 55% having recovered. We will stay in touch with you and make alternate plans as situations arise. Since we did not enjoy our time at the beach due to the canceled Spring Convention, we can make up that time this fall. A new policy for registration is that those that sign up late after the published deadlines are at risk of being refused due to space availability, plus it can result in late fees being assessed to your club. It is important to register on time as food orders are finalized 30 days out. Please have patience during this process and stay tuned. We would all love to have a great time in the beautiful Smoky Mountains and finally see each other.
Mary Anne Koltowich Fall Conference Coordinator [email protected]
Michelle Shuford CSC Convention Chair [email protected]
RACING (Rich Mead) While the US Ski Team has returned to on-snow training at Copper Mountain, we will have to wait awhile before racing here in the Southeast. To get a jump on planning, the Crescent Race Series schedule for 2020-21 is attached. We will be racing twice each at Appalachian and Sugar and returning to Beech for one race.
In preparation for racing there are several early season race camps. Two of the more popular camps are Crescent's week long Steamboat Ski & Race Camp, Dec 5-12 and Sugar Mountain's 3-day camp, Dec 11-13. Registration for the Steamboat trip opened June 15. Developmental and training sessions are also planned for Appalachian.
The NASTAR Nationals, scheduled for March 23-27, is a great culmination to the race season. As in the past, the Charlotte club is organizing a group trip. If interested contact John Gardner. Contact info is on the schedule.
Most everything I wrote last month about summer race camps at Mt Hood, Oregon completely changed within 2 days of my writing. Such is the world we live in. Stay safe, stay well, stay in shape.
Rich Mead CSC Race Director [email protected] MEMBER SERVICES (Ken Lumsden) If your Club has held elections recently, please make sure to send your updates to Bruce McMurray, Database Coordinator, at [email protected], as well as a copy to me. Bruce needs to know your Club’s current officers, board members, webmasters and newsletter editors. Please include their name, mailing address, phone numbers (home, work, mobile), email address and Board position(s). Sue Chadwick ([email protected]) still seeks help with potential modernizing of the Crescent web site. Contact Sue if you can help. In addition, Sue can help you with promoting your trips or events on Crescent’s website!
Ken Lumsden Member Services [email protected]
SOCIAL MEDIA (Pat Harvey)
Crescent is on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Tag us @crescentski on any of your posts. Crescent Racing (@Crescentskiracing) is also on Facebook. Many of the ski areas are starting to open, with lots of new restrictions, for summer activities. We post all information we see for both the Southeast areas and resorts around the country. We also monitor for other updates on the ski industry and we post updates as we see them. We will continue to monitor the ski industry news and update on our social media pages. Reminder to the Clubs, as you start to plan your trips for the 2020/21 season, and need any promotion or help selling your trips, let me know and I’ll post to the Council’s social media pages. If you have any articles of interest for trips for the coming season, let me know. The more information we have at this challenging time, the better to keep our Clubs as up-to-date as we can.
Any questions, ideas or suggestions regarding Social Media, please contact me. Keep spreading the word on Crescent’s Social Media pages to your Club members and friends. Pat Harvey CSC Social Media Chair [email protected].
NATIONAL SKI COUNCIL FEDERATION Crescent is a Charter Member of the National Ski Council Federation (NSCF). There are 29 Member Councils in NSCF across the USA. As a member of Crescent Ski Council, you are also a member of the NSCF. NSCF has some excellent benefits and discounts and more are being added regularly. Please visit the website, www.skifederation.org for member only benefits. The NSCF site allows you to search for all benefits by category so you can find what you are looking for much faster. You must register on NSCF’s website but once you’re signed up, you can take advantage of all the benefits. Please spread the word to your members so they too can take advantage of the many benefits that are available to all of you through NSCF. The National Ski Council Federation (NSCF) meeting scheduled for August in Telluride has been cancelled. As you celebrate this July 4th holiday, please take a moment to reflect on the ideals of Freedom, Justice, and Liberty on which our great nation was founded. Have a great 4th of July holiday, and please stay safe and healthy, and continue praying for each other, our country, and world. I hope to see you in October! Diane Andrews, President Crescent Ski Council
3107 Myrtle St. Edisto Beach, SC 29438 Phone: (706) 306-4631 Email: [email protected]
