Key Takeaways:
Vail Resorts is betting a multiyear investment in luxury service and upgraded food can reverse a 12.5% drop in skier visits.
Vail Resorts Chief Executive Rob Katz is borrowing a page from Delta and United Airlines, rolling out a multiyear plan to upgrade on-mountain service after skier visits to its properties fell 12.5% last season.
"The next chapter of growth for Vail Resorts is about delivering a guest experience that undeniably leads the ski industry and is best in class in the travel sector," Katz said in a statement Tuesday.
The initiative, called Epic Experience, includes a private-lesson concierge program dubbed Epic Ascent that will debut at Vail Mountain and Beaver Creek this winter before expanding to more resorts by the 2027-28 season. The company is also upgrading ingredients at 15 properties — burgers will now feature pecan-smoked bacon and brioche buns — while adding Apple Pay and Google Pay to its My Epic app.
The push marks a strategic shift for the owner of 42 resorts. After years of prioritizing network expansion to sell more Epic Passes, Vail Resorts is now investing in the onsite experience to retain customers. Early Epic Pass purchases had declined 10% as of June, the company previously disclosed.
The strategy draws inspiration from the airline industry's playbook of using premium service tiers to build loyalty, Katz said. Epic Ascent guests will receive a dedicated concierge to coordinate dining reservations, transportation and gear rentals — a model similar to Delta's Delta One or United's Polaris cabins.
My Epic Gear, the company's equipment rental program, will allow visitors to demo new ski and snowboard models at 12 resorts without paying the usual $50 membership fee. Participating locations include Breckenridge, Park City, Whistler Blackcomb and Stowe, among others.
On the food front, Vail Resorts said it is making a "significant investment" in higher-quality ingredients without raising prices beyond normal inflation. Signature dishes reflecting each resort's local character will debut at Vail Mountain, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Whistler Blackcomb.
The company also plans to integrate artificial intelligence into its app, enabling skiers to purchase lessons, reserve gear and plan itineraries directly within the platform in future versions.
The turnaround effort comes as Vail Resorts faces pressure from a challenging snow season across the Mountain West. Colorado resorts, which form the backbone of the company's network, recorded below-average snowfall during the 2025-26 winter, contributing to the 12.5% decline in visits. The company's shift toward experience-based investment mirrors broader trends in the travel industry, where companies from Walt Disney Co. to Carnival Corp. have poured capital into premium offerings to drive repeat business.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
