TA looking at how to boost March tourism reservations

Cheap airfares and Gunnison Getaways

The Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism Association (TA) has trimmed down its focus under interim director John Norton. At a meeting last week the board agreed to focus primarily on two things: helping the Gunnison Valley Rural Transportation Authority (RTA) fill airline seats in March and filling Gunnison hotel rooms for the rest of the ski season.

March has appeared weak in terms of air passengers booked to fly into the Gunnison airport for a ski vacation. Last year school breaks in states like Texas and Oklahoma were spread out over several weeks. This year the breaks appear to be compressed in the third week of March. Add to that the fact Mardi Gras falls in February this year, and visitor reservations are looking a little lean in March.
“To reach our goals on the Houston flight we need to sell 800 more one-way seats between the middle of February and the end of the season,” said RTA executive director Scott Truex.
Jeff Moffett of Community Flights said he is seeing similar weakness in the Chicago and Dallas flights. “The season was off to a roaring start. December was really good for the air programs,” he said. “The goal for March for all the programs is to get to a 70 percent load factor. To get there, we need 800 more one-way seats with both the Dallas and Chicago flights.”
Moffett, a member of the TA board of directors, told the RTA board at its January 9 meeting that the March conundrum was not happening only in Crested Butte. “It appears all the mountain resorts are off from the numbers seen last March,” he said. “With Mardi Gras in February and Easter in April, it took some punch out of March.”
So the TA is focusing on some social media efforts and traditional advertising to entice people to come to ski in March. Moffett said a “Lift Ticket to Fly” promotion was being developed in which a person buying an airline ticket during certain dates in March would receive complimentary lift tickets as part of the package.
The other promotion being worked out was a $99 companion fare offer for flights into the valley the first and last weeks of March and the first week of April. “That’s where it appears we need the most help with numbers,” Moffett said. “There won’t be any lodging requirement so we hope it drives people to the county.”
Speaking of driving, Moffett noted one factor that might come into play is the relatively inexpensive gasoline throughout the country. “Cheap gas might be getting people to think about driving as opposed to flying,” he postulated. “I wouldn’t say that was part of the reason for fewer seats being booked in the spring but it could be impeding the solution with people who tend to book at the last minute. They might figure it is cheaper to drive instead of booking a late airfare.”
Moffett said he was excited about the new air promotion ideas. “John [Norton] is hitting the ground running,” he told the RTA. “I think this is the first time we have seen the TA directly supporting the RTA airline program. It is good to see.”
Norton said it is a logical step. “It makes all sorts of sense for one county entity—the TA—to reach out and help fill airline seats so that another county entity—the RTA—doesn’t take it in the chin because of a bad spring break pattern. We need to rebuild our air program and no visitors and no residents want to see us take another step back in frequency of flights or numbers of seats serving Gunnison.”
As for helping to get people to stay in Gunnison this winter, the TA and Crested Butte Mountain Resort are working to promote the Gunnison Getaway program. Under the program, hotels in Gunnison offer a room and a lift ticket for a discounted price.
For example, between now and February 6, visitors can book a room at the Wanderlust Hotel in Gunnison for $51 per person and get lift tickets as part of the deal. It’s $78 at the Comfort Inn. Prices go up in February and March but with the lift ticket included, deals are still attractive. For example, from February 7 to March 23, the Gunnison Getaway price at the Alpine of Quality Inns is $89, and $109 at the Inn at Tomichi Village.
“Considering that the normal daily lift ticket price is $103 to $106 for adults from now until the end of ski season, Gunnison Getaway offers an incredible value,” said Norton.
The idea is to get the word out to people in places such  as Grand Junction, Salida and Front Range drive market communities. The TA and ski area have invited regional journalists to experience the Gunnison Getaway later this month. They want to show off the ease of getting to the ski area, the comfortable Gunnison hotels and the very affordable opportunity to take a ski vacation.
The TA will also work to revamp its website. Norton would like to have a central reservation number for the county that people could call and get action immediately as opposed to being transferred to various county properties. Those are more long-term efforts, along with gearing up for summer promotion. Right now, Norton is focused on filling beds and airline seats for the remainder of this winter.