What's That Whistling Sound?

More than 100 centimetres of snow brought a resurgence of skiers and snowboarders to Whistler Blackcomb during the March school break, but the late-season bonanza came too late for some staff already laid off due to weak demand.

Meanwhile, the resort is already worrying about next season as it tries to convince visitors not to abandon it in the year it hosts the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

"It's what we call Olympic aversion," said Jeff McDonald, spokesman for Tourism Whistler. "It's a recognized phenomenon in the periods immediately before and immediately after these major events, that people feel there are reasons not to come, in this case, to Whistler.

"We have been working hard to counter Olympic aversion, and it is part of our marketing and communications strategies."

It's evident in casual lift conversations. There is the Thunder Bay mom saying she and her family are visiting this year, since the Olympics mean they can't come next year; the store owners already fretting about next year's sales; the promotional material already urging people to visit during the Olympic year.

Dave Milley, owner of Whistler Village Sports, with six stores in Whistler, has drastically reduced his merchandise orders in the expectation there will be fewer buyers for the skis, snowboards, back country equipment and other regular items on his shelves.

"Our forecasting for orders for next year is down quite a bit," he said. "We are forecasting our ski sales and our boot sales will be down 40 to 50 per cent, and that's how we are buying.

"We have placed orders already for quite a bit less, and some of our competitors, in talking to them; they say they have placed less as well.

"I would say our overall buying for next year is somewhere between 30 to 40 per cent less than last year."

Milley said many regular customers have indicated they don't plan to buy season passes next year, the same response the resort got to an e-mail sent to season-pass and Edge Card holders.

"It is a concern," said Dave Brownlie, president and chief operating officer of Whistler Blackcomb. "If you look at the history of Olympic venues, during the year of the Olympics people tend to stay away. They think it will be busy, and they won't be able to afford it."

Brownlie said the resort is trying to counter that perception. It plans to canvass season-pass and Edge Card holders again in mid-April.

He said that while resort rooms will be quite full during the Olympics, space will open up during the Paralympics. During the Games, the mountain will be 90-per-cent open. However, visitors who want to go to the resort for the day to ski or board will have to take a bus because they won't be allowed to drive.

"We are working hard to get people here," Brownlie said. "That's why we got those cards out, that's why we are trying to get the message out."

There are signs at the base of the mountains reminding people that Whistler Blackcomb will remain open during the Olympics, and cards stacked on merchants' counters that read: "The Truth about 2010."

The "Olympic aversion" phenomenon follows a difficult year that included a double whammy of late-arriving snow and a global economic crisis.

The resort laid off 100 of its 1,200 instructors before the March break because there wasn't enough demand for lessons. "In other areas, we are just managing our labour to the volume," said Brownlie.

"Given the economic challenges, we are being more diligent in terms of understanding the number of people we need going forward, and making sure we manage our labour effectively as the season winds down."

Milley said some businesses are geared to merchandise sales and services for general sports enthusiasts and corporate guests who will fill the village during the Olympics, but they won't be buying big-ticket items.

"It was a shame the whole thing kind of came crashing down on us this year, and now we face next year," he said. "Already there are empty spaces showing up around Whistler, some restaurants are closed now or leaving.

"Figuring out how we are going to make a profit next year will be a big challenge for us."