A decade ago, around four out of five Aussies wanting a snow-capped holiday chose a domestic destination for their skiing and snowboarding fix. Today, almost half head overseas.
After boom in 2011 in the proportion of Australians taking their skis and boards overseas, domestic and international destinations hit parity and stabilised in 2012.
The latest data from Roy Morgan Research shows as of March 2013, 51% of Australians who went snow skiing or snowboarding on their last holiday chose a domestic destination, with a bare minority travelling internationally.
“Although only a small percentage of the Australian population goes snow skiing or snowboarding on their holidays, it is nevertheless a lucrative niche market with snow skiers spending more on their holidays than the average tourist,” said Roy Morgan Research International Director of Tourism, Jane Ianniello.
Overall, only 1.5% of Australians went snow skiing or snowboarding on their last holiday. For those who went overseas, popular destinations included New Zealand, North America, Europe, and Japan.
“Despite the strong Australian Dollar and the general long-term trend toward overseas ski destinations, Australian ski fields have held their ground over the past 15 months,” she said. “It is important to understand the demographic, attitudinal and behavioural profile of people who go snow skiing or snowboarding on holidays and to tailor an appropriate communication message.”