Colorado Ski Country USA woos Aussies to their mountains with visit down under

Colorado Ski Country USA woos Aussies to their mountains with visit down under
By Alexandra Coulton


“Australians are our biggest international market and we want to see more of you,” President and CEO of Colorado Ski Country USA, Melanie Mills told Travel weekly yesterday at a media breakfast.

Mills represents 23 resorts in Colorado and shares her hopes for a cleaner greener and sustainable future.

“Never has the environment been more top of mind for us than since this last US election cycle,” Mills said diplomatically avoiding any US politics chat.

However, she did mention the increase of climate change deniers in positions of power, and how organisations such as hers can make a stand to protect its pristine mountain environments so that people can enjoy skiing for generations to come.

Melanie-Mills-Headshot-e1487858449429

Colorado Ski Country enjoys a relatively high profile thanks to skiing gaining momentum beyond the die-hard black runners and Olympians.

Skii based holidays have grown rapidly, including in Australia. Roy Morgan research shows an upward trajectory, which is expected to continue.

Since late 2016 there has been a steady increase in Australians heading overseas for skiing and snowboarding holidays which is now at 46 per cent as of June 2018.

“We also have a trend where Millennials, who grew up with Edamame in their lunch boxes, not junk food, with educated parents who have raised the awareness of social and environmental issues. Our resorts ensure all of our efforts from a lobbying and marketing perspective focus on these two important concerns.” Mills said.

Some of the initiatives include offering free lessons to the local residents’ children aged 11-12 so they can learn to ski at no cost.

“Imagine Australians not knowing how to swim,” Mills said, “It’s the same thing. We want every resident of our beautiful mountains to enjoy the health and well-being benefits skiing can bring”

As social and environmentally aware travellers are seeking holiday destinations that encompass adventure, local and seasonal produce to eat, contributing back to the communities they visit and the environment, it seems Colorado Ski Country USA ticks all of these boxes.

And with 300 sunny days each year, we’re ready to book our flights.

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