Vail Sells Fewer Passes Ahead of Ski Season, but CEO Says Turnaround Is Taking Hold

Vail Resorts sold fewer passes heading into the peak ski season, but its chief executive officer said that elements of its turnaround strategy to draw skiers back were beginning to deliver results.

The operator of ski resorts, including Vail Mountain, Whistler Blackcomb and Stowe, said Wednesday that the number of ski passes it sold for the upcoming North American season fell 2% through Dec. 5 from a year ago. Overall revenue from pass sales, however, rose 3%, driven by a 7% price increase.