SAM Magazine—Denver, May 22, 2013—Eastern destination lodging results reflected a strong start and finish to the 2012-13 season, outpacing the gains at Western resorts, according to data released by the Mountain Travel Research Program (MTRiP). In the East, the final tally for the season, November through April, revealed an aggregated 18.6 percent increase in occupancy, and a 16.8 percent increase in revenue, compared to the prior season.

“Eastern resorts capitalized on a stronger early season environment, while Western resorts remained dry through mid-December,” said Tom Foley, MTRIP’s director of operations.

MTRiP’s Eastern destination data are derived from a sample of 10 mountain destination communities, representing approximately 6,000 rooms across Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, West Virginia, and Quebec.

Results for the month of April helped lodging properties end their season on a high note, with occupancy up a dramatic 28 percent and revenue up a whopping 41.4 percent compared to April 2012.

“After a shaky start to the ski season, the new year brought better weather conditions and increasingly positive economic conditions simultaneously—a combination we haven’t enjoyed for several years,” said Ralf Garrison, director of MTRiP. “A strong finish for the ski season appears to be teeing up an equally strong summer for Eastern resort destinations, and particularly for those with a robust lineup of activities and special events.”