Luxury Ski Spot Breckenridge Tries to Diversify Its Seasonal Economy


Skift Take

Even luxury destinations must diversify their offerings to bolster the economy in the off-season. Breckenridge's slow and thoughtful approach can serve as a role model.

Breckenridge is the quintessential mountain town known for its picturesque village, ski slopes, and the wealthy clientele it, alongside Vail and Aspen, attract all winter long. But like many seasonal destinations, Breckinridge’s business drops significantly when its affluent visitors head for more traditional warm-weather destinations. Occupancy rates in the winter were consistently 20- to 30-percent higher in the winter than the summer over the 12-year period between 2006 and 2017. A month-by-month breakdown shows that while winter clearly boasts the highest occupancy average peaking at 68 percent in March, summer is also a popular time with occupancy rates reaching 52 percent in July. Numbers are based on a six year average between 2011 and 2016. The destination’s c