For the "first time since" the '80s, CA "surpassed" CO
last year "as the top U.S. destination for a ski vacation,"
according to Penny Parker of the DENVER POST. Canadian
market research firm Longwoods Int'l, which was commissioned
by Colorado Ski Country (CSC), surveyed a target market of
400 winter sports participants ages 25-44 and found that the
"perception was that a ski trip" to CO was "less affordable
and that" CO's ski slopes "were more crowded" than CA's.
The study also found that CO's share of overnight ski trips
in the U.S. "slipped from" 18.9% in '97 to 16.2% in '98.
Meanwhile, CA increased its market share from 13.9% in '97
to 17.1% in '98. Filling out last year's ski destination
rankings was NV in third, followed by VT and UT. Karsh &
Hagan Communications, which handles advertising for CSC, has
created a new ad campaign which features the new slogan:
"Come to Colorado for great skiing because you're worth it."
The campaign will run in the October, November and December
editions of Fast Company, Spin, ESPN Magazine, Martha
Stewart Living and Conde Nast Traveler magazines. The
message will also have a presence on the Internet, with ads
running on Yahoo! and Excite. A "full" ad blitz will break
in two out-of-state test markets -- as yet undetermined --
with TV, print, radio and outdoor ads (DENVER POST, 7/18).
