Photo: Vail Resorts
Vail Resorts and Alterra Mountain Company have been at the center of a class action lawsuit this year, alleging the two companies’ ticket sales structure steers consumers into purchasing higher-priced, multi-mountain season passes. A new announcement from Vail Resorts on Tuesday promised a “new era” from the company, which will give less attention to its Epic Pass sales model and instead invest in “food, lessons, gear, guest engagement and talent.”
While the announcement didn’t reference any connection to the class action lawsuit, the new directive does address a key issue in the lawsuit.
“For years, Vail Resorts focused on building the Epic Pass model and expanding its resort network,” said Vail CEO Rob Katz. “That strategy helped establish the company’s position today, but the Pass and acquisitions were not the end goal. 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. Epic Experience is about using the strength of our integrated model and leveraging our scale and technology to make every part of the mountain journey more seamless, personalized and memorable.”
According to a press release from Vail on Tuesday, a rebranding of sorts will encompass five experience pillars designed to drive growth: Reimagining Rentals with My Epic Gear, Elevating Lessons into Personalized Mountain Experiences, Setting a Higher Standard for Guest Engagement, Raising the Bar on Mountain Food, and Investing in Top Talent to Drive Excellent Guest Service.
That last pillar comes as part of a $175 million investment in employee wages and benefits. The release did not offer extensive details on how that money will be distributed among current or future employees, but the company did share its intention for the invested funds is to increase the return rates of seasonal employees, giving them more hours while reducing overall hiring and housing pressure.
“This is collectively translating to better service, with frontline teams serving as a key driver of record guest satisfaction scores last season,” read the release, with Katz adding, “exceptional experience is not one moment – it is the standard we want guests to feel across their entire journey. From the food, lessons and gear that shape a day on the mountain to how we communicate with and support our guests, we are focused on removing friction, elevating the experience and creating more moments that inspire guests to return.”
