Scots ski resorts see near record-breaking season

SCOTLAND’S ski resort are celebrating a near record-breaking season with almost 300,000 ‘skier days’ on the slopes – boosting the economy by around £30million.

Ski-Scotland comprises the five mountain ski areas, including Glencoe. Picture: Contributed

Heather Negus, chair of Ski Scotland, which incorporates the country’s five centres, said: “We are absolutely delighted to know that, now the final figures have been calculated, we have beaten almost every season in the recent past.

“Only the amazing winter of 2009-10 was better than 2012-13.

“We were aware during the winter that we were creeping close to the figure achieved in 2010-11, but it was not until the end of the season, when season ticket calculations were added, that we realised we’d beaten even that winter by just over 1,000.”

A total of 290,996 ‘skier days’ were recorded during the season, which started in late November for some resorts and lasted well into May.

A ‘Skier day’ means one person who skis or snow boards on one day. Many are serial visitors and are counted each day they enjoy their snowsports.

The record-breaking season of 2009-10 resulted in 374,789 skier days. For the following year, 2010-11, the figure was 289,995 and for season 2012-13 it was 290,996.

Ski Scotland said the 2012-13 snowsports season was worth over £29.27million to the Scottish economy.

Of this, £5.85million was spent at the five mountain ski areas.

Much more – over £23.42million – was spent in local accommodation, places to eat and drink, shops and filling stations, providing a significant boost to the country’s winter tourism revenue.

Tourism Minister Fergus Ewing said: “The success of this year’s ski season is very encouraging and a tremendous boost to the industry and the tourist economy in Scotland.

“This year we are celebrating Year of Natural Scotland. The outdoors is the number one reason why people visit Scotland and when it comes to our excellent ski facilities you can understand why.

“It’s fantastic to see visitors from near and far taking advantage of all Scotland’s ski resorts have to offer.”

Ski-Scotland is the marketing partnership which has promoted snowsports in Scotland collaboratively for nearly 25 years.

It comprises the five mountain ski areas (CairnGorm Mountain, Glencoe Mountain, Glenshee, The Lecht and Nevis Range), the sport’s governing body Snowsport Scotland, indoor real-snow centre Snow Factor in Glasgow and VisitScotland, the country’s tourism agency.