Aosta Valleybalance sheets
Ar. Fotografico Monterosa Ski
Although it was a season that began with great fear of the restrictions dictated by the pandemic and despite the drastic drop in arrivals from abroad and the lack of snow, the one that ended on April 25 was a positive winter season in terms of turnover for the large area that gathers, in the Aosta Valley, Val d'Ayas, Valle di Gressoney and Valle di Champorcher and, in the Piedmont area, Valsesia.
Monday 30 May 2022 10 minutes reading time
Arrivals of foreign tourists dropped drastically (-50% compared to 2018/2019 - last full season that can be taken as a reference), green pass, restrictions, rules that change from month to month. And then the snow, little and rare at the lowest altitudes, where, from 1300 meters upwards, there are some of its best known and loved ski resorts. Despite this, the Monterosa Ski area (51 slopes and 28 ski lifts in the 3 valleys of Champoluc-Frachey, Gressoney-La-Trinité and Alagna) closes the score positively.
Monterosa SpA's turnover reaches 14 million and 557 thousand euros, registering a + 3% compared to 2018-2019. A clearly positive sign, which acquires value if we read the data relating to the first entries, which amount to about 426,000 for the Valdostano side of the area and which become 531,000 if we also add the numbers of Alagna, for a -12 % Of first admissions, compared to 2018-19.
Basically, fewer tourists but more income.
The answer to this inversely proportional trend lies in the rate management policy - winning - adopted by Monterosa Ski (Madonna di Campiglio the other case in Italy). Let's talk about dynamic pricing.
"In other words - says Giorgio Munari, CEO of Monterosa SPA - the dynamic price could be trivially summarized with the concept of 'first you book and less you pay'. But the formulation of our dynamic tariff policy was, instead, the result of a precise study carried out in collaboration with the University of the Aosta Valley, with which we analyzed the data of the last three seasons to get a precise picture of our customers. This allowed us - continues Munari - to prepare ourselves to manage the restrictions, which our sector would have been subject to in order to cope with the health emergency, at the same time creating the basis for eco-sustainable tourism to be applied to our area which, let's not forget it. , can be reached within two hours from the main urban centers, with the risk of days of congestion that would have put the entire territory under stress. The intent was to avoid huge losses in turnover and, at the same time, to transform the changes in habits brought about by the pandemic period into opportunities ".
At this point the discussion becomes purely mathematical. The seasonality (3 in total: low, medium and high) and the maximum and minimum prices for each of them have been identified. Therefore, a maximum number of skiers allowed has been defined: 9500.
The next step involved the definition of an algorithm to achieve the dynamism of prices which took into account the following variables:
- days in advance of purchasing - number of places still available in the area; - elasticity of demand
The objectives were clear and have been fully achieved: contain the demand in peak periods, so as to limit overcrowding, allowing skiers and non-skiers to fully enjoy the beauty of the place, expand demand in the mid-low season and increase the company's profits.
In the season that ended just over a month ago, the lion's share was made by bookings via the web, which increased by 715%, passing to a share of turnover which, pre-pandemic, stood at around 700,000 euros and which this year it closed at 5 million and 700 thousand euros.
To avoid gatherings at the cash desks, the day cards were purchased remotely: a practice that has gradually consolidated, also facilitating the application of the dynamic price. "After all, we are in the era of flexible quotations - explains Munari - so are airline tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals, vacation rentals. The fact that ski pass rates also become dynamic is nothing more than confirmation of adapting to a method that favors the containment of overtourism in high season, leading to a more homogeneous seasonal adjustment ".
Dynamic pricing has also been applied to tour operators, for which a B2B shop has been opened, where reservations and orders can be made, on SKP (SKP - Skiperformance is, from winter 2021/22, the sales platform to which support the ski resorts of the Aosta Valley). In any case, the travel restrictions, the super green pass obligation, the lack of clarity of information on the vaccinations of teenagers, together with the rigid pandemic containment regulations of this winter, have definitely negatively influenced the trend of foreign tourist flows. : the TO season was subdued compared to 2018/2019, with a turnover down by 1 million euros and -50% of arrivals from abroad.
To complete the account of the data released, those from the minor valleys of the area should still be read, namely: Alpe di Mera, Antagnod, Brusson, Champorcher and Gressoney-Saint-Jean.
Stations that are located between 1,300 and 1,800 meters, which have suffered greatly from the lack of snow of the past winter. Including the numbers of their first entries, the overall decline goes from -12% to -13% and the global turnover of the entire Monterosa Ski area, stands at a final equal to + 2% compared to 2018-19.
In any case, the turnover is active, which allows for the planning of important improvements for the next season: "in addition to investments aimed at ensuring the maintenance of the cableway systems, work will continue to upgrade the programmed snowmaking system, which will allow us to open as many of lifts and slopes since the beginning of the season and to ensure snow all year round. A significant economic commitment, which we want to lead to the overall improvement of the services offered, to give back to those who choose Monterosa Ski a valuable skiing experience ", Munari closes.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Social media engagement
More details
Più letti in Regioni
Campitello Matese, sciare in Molise a due ore da Roma
Adagiata a 1.450 metri di quota nel cuore del massiccio del Matese, ai piedi del Monte Miletto (2.050 m), Campitello Matese è la principale località sciistica del Molise e una delle più importanti dell'Appennino centro-meridionale. Grazie alla sua posizione geografica e all'ampio altopiano carsico che la circonda, offre un ambiente naturale di grande fascino e panorami unici che spaziano dagli Appennini fino ai due mari nelle giornate più limpide.
In classifica:
Alto Sangro, nuova cabinovia Vallone – Monte Pratello per la prossima stagione invernale
Parte il grande progetto di riqualificazione paesaggistica delle Valli di Lanzo
Alpe di Siusi, nuova seggiovia Steger Dellai a 8 posti per la stagione invernale 2026/2027
Estate in Val Senales: tra ghiacciaio, musica e tradizioni torna lo Schnolser Summerfest
103