Spring break brings bump in tourism dollars (The Bulletin, Bend, Ore.)

The spring weather may have temporarily taken a vacation, but area ski hills, restaurants and resorts aren't complaining about a spring break filled with snowy skies.

"We got swamped last night," said Todd McGee, owner of The Powder House ski shop, in an interview Tuesday. "It was really busy yesterday. It's been an average spring break for us. It hasn't been anything bad, but it hasn't been anything fabulous."

Oregon schools are out for spring vacation this week and, McGee said, the snowstorms definitely brought an influx of people into his shop. The weekend was not particularly busy, he said, but as the vacation week progressed his business picked up.

That sentiment has been reported at many of the tourism-related businesses in town this week. Many places are finding that spring break wasn't booked up early, as it often is, but instead people made last-minute plans to visit the area.

"There is not as much calling a month in advance," said Aleta Nissen, co-owner of Wanderlust Tours. "A lot of that has to do with people waiting to see what's happening with the weather."

On Monday, she said, a family of four called in the morning asking to do one of Wanderlust's cave tours that afternoon. She expected similar last-minute reservations to continue for tours as the week continued.

At Inn of the Seventh Mountain, bookings jumped by about 8 percent in the past week, said Davis Smith, director of sales and marketing. He attributed the last-minute increase to spring break, the weather and a lack of competition from other area ski resorts.

"It's due to the fact that Mount Bachelor is one of the only resorts open in the Pacific Northwest," Smith said. "Our levels are about 5 percent over last year."

Sunriver Resort is also having a strong year, said ShanRae Hawkins, director of marketing and sales, explaining that spring break is only helping the bottom line.

"We're packed. We had 270 check-ins on Sunday. Our private homes and condos ... are over 60 percent occupied, which is fabulous for this time of year," she said. "We're pacing ahead of what we did last year."

Although the snow has been slow throughout the winter months, Nissen said Wanderlust . which offers snowshoe tours, cave tours and canoe trips at this time of year . hasn't suffered. In fact, business is up a total of 84 percent over last year for December through February, she said. And, spring break business is actually up by 29 percent over the entire Oregon spring break week of last year.

"So far, we are having a great winter and spring," Nissen said. "What I'm seeing is that there has been more snow than most people know. I think a lot of people are talking about the lack of snow ... we've been on a good couple of feet of snow all winter and spring."

The perception of an overall dearth of snow -- and the reality of it in some places -- is hurting many local businesses. Mike Cooper, general manager at Deschutes Brewery and Public House, said spring break has brought in a bigger crowd but his business is still down for the season.

"This winter, overall, has been pretty bad. There has been a lack of tourism, really," Cooper said. "Compared to last winter when we had great snow and everything, it has dropped off. But, we're staying OK."

When word gets out that snow conditions are poor, he said, people put their skis away and head to the beach. Carly Carmichael, director of marketing at Mount Bachelor, agreed saying that having other ski areas in Oregon and Washington close early doesn't necessarily help business here.

Mount Bachelor's business is down by about 10 percent to 12 percent for the year, although Carmichael said she's noticing a solid spring break week so far. When Washington schools go on spring break next week, she said, die-hard skiers shut out by early closures may head south to Mount Bachelor for a final winter ride.

"I think it helps us as much as it hurts us," she said. "The perception is that the skiing is not very good if the other hills are closed. Warm weather causes skiers to put their skis away."

Source: By Kayley Mendenhall, The Bulletin, Bend, Ore.Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News