Australian ski lift prices now highest in world

SKI lift prices at Australian alpine resorts are now the highest in the world, according to an annual survey by the Australian Alpine Club.

SKI lift prices at Australian alpine resorts are now the highest in the world, according to an annual survey by the Australian Alpine Club.

Adult day ski lift prices at the five major Australian alpine resorts were benchmarked against 11 resorts in seven other developed countries.

"The inconvenient truth is that Australian ski lift prices are now more expensive than those in even the most exclusive resorts in Europe and North America," said Australian Alpine Club President Ian Farrow.

A strong Australian dollar has only increased the comparative expense of day ski lift prices when compared to US resorts.

The five major Australian alpine resorts led the table with Australia's largest alpine resort, Perisher Blue in NSW, topping the list.

But Perisher Blue is critical of the alpine club report which the NSW resort says does not survey the cost of multi-day passes nor does it take into account the higher set up costs in Australia.

The Australian Alpine Club survey also did not compare other value factors such as terrain, snow-depths or ski lift capacities.

Many Australian alpine resorts are in remote areas and are impacted by the high cost of importing snowmaking equipment from the US and Europe, said Gary Grant, General Manager Marketing, Sales and Hospitality for Perisher Blue.

"(We) are further affected by the very high transport charges to get even the basic essentials into the region," said Mr Grant.

Yet a more comprehensive ski lift price survey supports the Australian Alpine Club's results: skiing in Australia is expensive.

The World Lift Ticket Price Report, sponsored by US online ski ticket marketplace Liftopia.com, compared the high season, non-discounted, prices of ski passes at more than 550 ski areas in 40 countries, including Australia and New Zealand, in US dollars, euros and British pounds.

US ski glamour resort Vail sold the world's most expensive peak season six-day lift ticket at $US552 ($589). The cheapest six-day ticket was offered by Parque Caviahue in Argentina for only $US28.70 ($30.60).

Vail may have sat at the top the survey's price table for some years, but the average ticket price at American ski resort prices has fallen with the US dollar to fourth position behind Australia, South Africa and the world's first indoor ski resort, Dubai.

The average world six-day high season lift ticket price is $US258 ($275). In the US, the average price is $US366 ($390).

"It's important to note that few people (in the United States) will actually pay these maximum prices," said Patrick Thorne, editor of the Liftopia report.  

Australian resort high season six-day lift passes for 2008 cost around double the average world price: Perisher ($516), Thredbo ($494), Falls Creek ($496), Mt Hotham ($496) and Mt Buller ($480).

"While the appreciation of the Australian dollar is a factor, overseas alpine resorts are becoming increasingly attractive while ski lift prices in Australia continue to ratchet upwards," Mr Farrow said.

"Australian skiers and snowboarders might benefit from an inquiry by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission or the Productivity Commission that would examine competition issues and the key drivers of these high costs," he added.

All Australian alpine resorts offer reduced-price early bird or value packages.

The 2008 Australian ski season officially opens the Queens Birthday weekend of June 7 - 9.

Australian Alpine Club 2008 lift prices survey

$98 Perisher Blue
$97 Thredbo
$94 Falls Creek
$94 Mt Buller
$94 Mt Hotham
$92 Vail (USA)
$91 Alta Snowbird (USA)
$85 Deer Valley (USA)
$85 Whistler (Canada)
$77 St Moritz (Switz)
$74 Mt Hutt (NZ)
$72 Val D'Isere (France)
$71 Arlberg (Austria)
$66 Klosters (Switz)
$56 Niseko (Japan)
$48 Hakuba 47 (Japan)

Note: All prices are in Australian dollar and are based upon
exchange rates, rounded to nearest $A as of 15/04/2008