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WB revenues and visits return to pre-2010 levels

Visits to Whistler Blackcomb in the past fiscal year totaled 2.5 million, a 15 per cent increase over the numbers reported the year before. This statistic, and much more, was revealed by Whistler Blackcomb Holdings Inc.
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Visits to Whistler Blackcomb in the past fiscal year totaled 2.5 million, a 15 per cent increase over the numbers reported the year before.

This statistic, and much more, was revealed by Whistler Blackcomb Holdings Inc. during a year end summary conference call.

According to the company, the total resort revenue in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30 was $216 million. That figure compares to revenues of $212 million the year before.

One of the factors in pushing up the revenue figures was a ticket price increase for the 2010/2011 season.

The ski and mountain resort earned 40 cents per share from Nov. 9, 2010 to Sept. 30. 2011, when Whistler Blackcomb became a public company.

"Looking back on the last 12 months we are pleased with our post-Olympic recovery and feel Whistler Blackcomb Holdings is well positioned as we head into the 2011/2012 ski season," said David Brownlie, president and chief operating officer of Whistler Blackcomb. "In fiscal 2011 our visits revenue and effective ticket price were strong and we now have a substantially larger regional market base upon which to layer on higher yielding destination guests."

Brownlie said the 2.5 million visits broke down to 2,030,000 winter visitors and just under 500,000 summer visitors, which is inline with the 12-year average. He added that traditionally the number of destination and regional visits is evenly split but in the season past the number of regional visitors outpaced the destination guest numbers.

"This is advantageous to us in the business," said Brownlie, "because regional market visitation is more stable and less susceptible to the economic headwinds that we're experiencing with the destination markets."

Brownlie said the early indicators suggest Whistler's accommodation sector has experienced a 17 per cent increase in bookings compared to this time last year.

"This growth is being driven by increased bookings from our key destination markets, including the United States, Asia Pacific and the United Kingdom," he said. "Pre-booked lift revenue from the regional market, including sales from our spring and fall season pass and frequency card campaigns, continues to pace ahead of our 2010/2011 season. Our year-to-date season pass and frequency card sales are eight per cent ahead of this time last year."