TELLURIDE/MONTROSE – Airline service into Telluride and Montrose airports l steps it up this ski season.
The Telluride/Montrose Regional Air Organization has announced that “total number of air seats to Telluride/Montrose maintains pace with last year’s record number,” with six different carriers flying to nine nonstop destinations: Denver, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Dallas Ft. Worth, Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, Newark, and Los Angeles.
Already, bookings are up – “currently pacing 12 percent up over last year at the same time,” the organization reported, in a press release.
New this winter from United Airlines is a second Saturday flight from Chicago during peak winter travel periods and both first and coach service from Los Angeles on Saturdays, with United adding Sunday service out of Los Angeles for Telluride travelers. “The enhancement of our exceptional air service will truly benefit our guests, as many connecting domestic and international visitors will have easier access into the Telluride and Montrose Airports,” said Scott Stewart of TMRAO. “While many leisure destinations are seeing a sizeable decrease in available seats year over year, Telluride is expanding markets and maintaining service levels.”
The increase in air service lends an air of optimism to ski-area projections: “The addition of new flights increase Telluride’s accessibility each year, offering our skiers and riders an ease in travel schedules,” said Telluride Ski Resort CEO Dave Riley. “With new terrain and amenities this year, coupled with the same great service, we are proud to offer greater access to all our committed guests and potential new visitors.”
The six carriers providing services this year include American Airlines, Continental, Delta, Great Lakes, United and USAirways. International travelers will find same-day connections when flying from European cities such as London, Dublin, Paris or Frankfurt; to South America’s Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires and Santiago; and many Mexico cities. Australian and Canadian travelers will benefit from easier connections through L.A., New York, and Denver, as well as throughout the United States.
The overall booking trend, Stewart reports, is “fuller planes than in previous years, earlier,” with connecting flights to Montrose/Telluride “also showing greater bookings, earlier in the fall booking season.”
With that pattern in mind, Stewart suggests customers seeking out bargain fares buy early, travel mid-week and off-peak, and avoid holidays.
Let's get real here, if you can't appreciate what nature has on display in it's own "store front window" here, you've got bigger problems.
Any sensible business person (who might be spending marketing dollars to "promote" Telluride), ought to realize this dedicate funding to open up the gates to the greater populace.
There has been untold millions spent in Vail, but they could LITERALLY SPEND 100 TRILLION (YES LITERALLY), and it would NEVER become Telluride.
Price points & the economic law of supply and demand are the key operating principles. You can try and steer this into "saywhatconomics" if you'd like, but I wouldn't invest in such as system (unless I had an inside track).
By the way, I'm sitting in Santa Cruz right now .... took a $260 rt flight from Durango -> San Fran. Could not use United milage from TEX. Cost was like $750 if purchased outright. Montrose was like $475.
Go to the front range for french fries and a fake apple pie.
largest business enterprise in the world-walmart-again, millions.
one of the highest priced ski resorts in the country-Telluride-and people are literally on financial life support...
I think we need to compete on price...and ..value.
We have this beautiful place all dressed up and no one to show it to...
The big fat middle will get the economies of scale to support the local economy.
Say What: this is not rocket science, but rather basic economic principles. Lower lift ticket prices will invariably generate a larger customer base ... I simply don't see how this could possibly be considered "shrinkage". Maybe you're simply projecting your agenda/perspective in so far as being concerned about the shrinkage of the more "elite" market? I wouldn't be surprised if most local business would support a 30% increase in overall visitor numbers from the middle class (their money is still green) vs. continuing on the downward or flat (at best) trend we've witnessed over the past two years.
Don't kid yourself about the significance of what might be a $69 lift ticket vs. a $94 ticket (sure there are deals, but other resorts offer deals too). People do A LOT of research on the internet and most people/families who haven't been super insulated to the economic downturn will add up ALL the costs in a trip. I know I do. I'll look to see if a hotel will be charging $10/day for internet or $35/day for parking. It all adds up.
By the way, while I wasn't here in the 60's or 70's, I'm fairly certain it wasn't the miners who envisioned (let alone pushed for) a ski area. I believe there was a fair amount of conflict at the time over the change.
I know many hurting people here in town and we need to get over this adjustment period quickly.
We do need to be more accessible to the family budget but it cant be done until real estate values fall, starvation hits the town budgets and they will actually assist a developer to invest in the market (versus hinder them)and tax policies do not subsidize one group over another.
Lower prices are coming and this is good news for our community. Yes, speculators will be hurt, 2nd homeowners will face high tax structures for services and a declining asset value on their home but it is inevitable.
Japan in the 90's serves as an economic model.
It's interesting to see one or two individuals adamantly defend a $94 ticket price.
It is very true and everyone who voted for the latest TOT council members should realize that this is what you voted for. Many of you, I fear, do not know the vision they have.
As far as FOM's 10-year dooms day predictions go...I wouldn't bet against Telluride.
Getting back to reality, if you cut the lift ticket prices here enough & we'll get more visitors. I'm not sure what's so difficult to understand about this? I'm willing to bet there's a good chance we'd have a relatively high number of return visitors and good word of mouth advertisement as compared to other destinations.
This is not a retrograde vision, rather a pragmatic course to take ... if not one which the free market will eventually navigate it the forces say so.
Period.