New Hampshire businesses say they’re seeing a surge in holiday weekend visitors, taking on crowds that keep getting bigger every year.Loon Mountain Resort says advance ticket sales for skiing over the weekend are ahead of last year.”With the cold temperatures, we’ve been making a ton of snow, and that’s all paid off,” said Kevin Bell, vice president of marketing at the resort. “Then, the amount of snow on top of that has just been an extra bonus.”After opening on Nov. 21, winter weather has helped Loon stay busy. With similarly cold conditions expected through the coming days, the resort is confident it will maintain high visitor numbers.It’s a sentiment it says other state ski locations share.”We’ve been able to make a lot of snow, and then Mother Nature has been helping us out with a lot of natural snow as well,” adds Bell.It’s not just the slopes expecting larger crowds. Snow sport rental businesses also say they’re anticipating a larger holiday-weekend surge.SledVentures in Lincoln rents out snowmobiles during the cold season. Owner Paul Fresolone has operated the business with his family for 19 years, and has watched equipment for the sport improve over time.With greater improvements, he says, also come greater expenses.”When (a snowmobile) breaks, it’s almost like, ‘Oh, what happened?’ It’s usually something simple like a fuse,” he said.As Fresolone looks to continue growing the family business, he notes that the increasing crowd sizes and rising costs have impacted demand. That includes riders from all across the world who come to New Hampshire looking to try a snowmobile for the first time.”In the short time we’ve been in it, snowmobiles have gone up considerably in price, so that dampens the demand for sure,” Fresolone said. “It’s unfortunate. We try to keep the price as cheap as we can.”Hotels say this past year, customers are more willing to pay higher prices for goods and services.”We’re seeing high-end champagne and high-end bottles of wine going out,” said Jack Carnevale, owner of Bedford Village Inn.The pace is on par with data on New Hampshire hospitality. According to the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association, the state meals and rentals tax (money collected on goods like food and hotel stays) was flat for November, but still 3.8% higher than the year before.The inn noted these trends early on. In 2016, it expanded its number of available rooms, attracting increasing numbers of guests from across the country and the world.”Next year, they say it’s supposed to be a banner year for us, and we see those in bookings already,” Carnevale added, “which is great.”Business owners want to add that making reservations as far in advance as possible can help secure your spot during the busy holiday season.
New Hampshire businesses say they’re seeing a surge in holiday weekend visitors, taking on crowds that keep getting bigger every year.
Loon Mountain Resort says advance ticket sales for skiing over the weekend are ahead of last year.
“With the cold temperatures, we’ve been making a ton of snow, and that’s all paid off,” said Kevin Bell, vice president of marketing at the resort. “Then, the amount of snow on top of that has just been an extra bonus.”
After opening on Nov. 21, winter weather has helped Loon stay busy. With similarly cold conditions expected through the coming days, the resort is confident it will maintain high visitor numbers.
It’s a sentiment it says other state ski locations share.
“We’ve been able to make a lot of snow, and then Mother Nature has been helping us out with a lot of natural snow as well,” adds Bell.
It’s not just the slopes expecting larger crowds. Snow sport rental businesses also say they’re anticipating a larger holiday-weekend surge.
SledVentures in Lincoln rents out snowmobiles during the cold season. Owner Paul Fresolone has operated the business with his family for 19 years, and has watched equipment for the sport improve over time.
With greater improvements, he says, also come greater expenses.
“When (a snowmobile) breaks, it’s almost like, ‘Oh, what happened?’ It’s usually something simple like a fuse,” he said.
As Fresolone looks to continue growing the family business, he notes that the increasing crowd sizes and rising costs have impacted demand. That includes riders from all across the world who come to New Hampshire looking to try a snowmobile for the first time.
“In the short time we’ve been in it, snowmobiles have gone up considerably in price, so that dampens the demand for sure,” Fresolone said. “It’s unfortunate. We try to keep the price as cheap as we can.”
Hotels say this past year, customers are more willing to pay higher prices for goods and services.
“We’re seeing high-end champagne and high-end bottles of wine going out,” said Jack Carnevale, owner of Bedford Village Inn.
The pace is on par with data on New Hampshire hospitality. According to the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association, the state meals and rentals tax (money collected on goods like food and hotel stays) was flat for November, but still 3.8% higher than the year before.
The inn noted these trends early on. In 2016, it expanded its number of available rooms, attracting increasing numbers of guests from across the country and the world.
“Next year, they say it’s supposed to be a banner year for us, and we see those in bookings already,” Carnevale added, “which is great.”
Business owners want to add that making reservations as far in advance as possible can help secure your spot during the busy holiday season.