Australian holidayers set to hit the slopes
The Australian influx combined with the school holidays and plentiful snow is set to lift the skier and snowboarder count at Coronet Peak and The Remarkables in Queenstown as well as Mt Hutt near Methven.
Early snow allowed Mt Hutt to open on June 14 after a couple of false starts, while the southern mountains, boosted by snowmaking, opened the lifts on the same day.
The 3000 visitors arriving daily at the twin peaks this week are set to rise closer to 4000, while Mt Hutt would increase to between 2000 and 3000 a day.
NZSki chief executive Paul Anderson said offshore dollars arriving at peak weeks in the ski season were important for the company, nearby centres and local economies.
"It's when we finally get in the black as we spend a lot of money through summer in marketing and maintenance and we hang on for this period to get us into the black.
"It's positive as Australian visitors coming across are strong spenders. The Aussies who come over are on holiday and have a budget for their holiday and are going to spend it in retail, on rent skis and buy their lunch."
He said advance sales were locked in for snow sports lessons, transport and equipment hire from Australia with bookings continuing through the season.
"We've got New Zealand and Queensland on holiday and next week we get New South Wales on top of that, so next week will be our biggest week. Pre-bookings out of Australia are very strong with double-digit growth, so 50% to 60% growth in Australian advance sales."
He said softer advance sales from the North Island should turn around once news travelled about Mt Hutt's deep snow base.
Next week's influx would be nearing capacity, but high-speed lifts were equipped to keep queues moving, he said.
Early snowfall followed by further top-ups had created a 1.5m base at Mt Hutt.
"We've got the most snow we've had for this time of the year for probably 15 to 20 years and just superb conditions."
Queenstown's ski areas had a dry beginning to winter until snowmaking over eight days allowed them to start on schedule.
Mr Anderson said season pass holders had initially made the most of the Queenstown skiing in the first few weeks and visitor numbers were now up on last year after 30cm of snow landed last weekend to fill the mountain's lower section.
Another 6000 Australians due to arrive for Snow Machine, a music festival at The Remarkables and Coronet Peak in mid-September, are expected to boost spring skiing.
Later that month there will be celebrations for The Remarkables' 40th anniversary.
The ski areas are scheduled to close on October 12, with Coronet Peak usually closing the access gates earlier.
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