Having a client ask about the ins and outs of booking a ski trip can be terrifying, but it doesn’t have to be. Aspen Snowmass’ Sales Manager Casey Leach knows a thing or two about selling ski and has shared some of her top tips with Travel Weekly.

Attach Lift Tickets & Equipment Hire to every order – don’t wait for the guest to ask!

Life tickets are the last thing on most people’s minds mid-year so agents who give their clients a little nudge when early booking passes are available (such as the SKI10 and SKI30) can score big brownie points later. You are doing your clients a big favor by not letting them purchase tickets in-resort.

Attach lifts and rentals for each ski reservation and make a note that you’ve done it. This way you ensure the absolute best pricing for your guests and because all unused products are fully refundable there’s no risk, you can always cancel the lifts and rentals later. When final payment is due (or your client gets around to asking) you can let them know you’ve already secured them a special promotion with the best rates.

Book as many days as possible (for all components) up front

Guests don’t always know how many days they will want to ski once they are in-resort – they may decide to spend a day exploring Aspen’s shops, spas or art galleries! But the more they book through you, the more they save. If they wait to add days when they arrive, they will pay a higher rate.

Our Aspen Snowmass guarantee means guests have nothing to lose and everything to gain when they buy in advance:

• Guests receive an in-resort monetary credit for the per-day gross value of any unused days on their lift tickets (only paid days on partially used promotional tickets i.e. sky y, pay x, are eligible).
• This credit may be used in the current or next season for lift ticket purchases, lessons or equipment hire (not merchandise or food).
• Also it can be transferred to a friend or family member.
• We don’t reveal the commission to the guest but refund the gross amount – so you’ll still receive commission – even on unused days!

Sell your guests on service

Four Mountain Sports is the only rental shop with locations at all four Aspen Snowmass mountains  – ten shops total throughout the resort. This means guests can switch out their equipment at any of the stores, no matter where they are skiing or riding. Skied powder yesterday but now want to cruise the blues? Switching from skis to try a snowboard? No problem! This can be the difference between making or breaking a ski holiday – no one wants to be stuck with boots that are too tight or skis that aren’t appropriate for the conditions or their abilities. It also means

They also take the hassle out of carrying gear around. Guests can transfer their gear from mountain to mountain or store it at the end of the day with free overnight storage and transfer service.

Private Lessons are popular

It is always better to reserve lessons early and avoid a Sold Out situation. While group lessons are always available, Private Lessons do sell out during peak times. Guests can cancel unused lessons at any time (private lessons do require a 48 hour cancellation period) and receive a full refund, so they can commit early and make a change later if needed.

Champagne on a beer budget

Aspen has a reputation for being high-end and it does attract its share of luxury clientele but it’s also a year-round town and has options for budgets of all kinds. You can feel confident telling your clients that there are lots of happy hours, dining options and free events catering to all budgets. For example – if you choose to eat at the bar rather than at a table at several restaurants you will not only be able to chat to bar staff about their favourite ski runs, but the menu is heavily discounted from the table service menu.

Spring skiing

One of my favourite tips for Aussie agents is to never overlook the spring skiing in Aspen. Aspen closed above two metres last season, which is more than the average base depth in Australia. The weather is great and as it’s not peak season there are fantastic deals to be found for airlines away from the Aussie summer peak, ski wholesalers and in town.