NORTH CONWAY, NH – Skiers found sunny skies and even some fresh powder as they descended upon the many ski areas, attractions and shops in the Mt. Washington Valley, NH for the opening long weekend of February Break, Feb. 16-19, 2024. The nice weather and snowy conditions were a welcome break from weather variability earlier in the season.
The Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce polled its members on business activity for the period. Overall, business levels for the lodging, dining and retail members surveyed were up over last year.
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Many businesses reported being sold out for the period and were mostly “extremely busy” or “very busy.”
Hotels, motels and inns had a strong showing. Snowvillage Inn owner Jen Kovach reported they were 100% sold out, as were Hampton Inn and Suites and AMC Lodges. Bretton Woods Vacations and Eagle Mountain House both reported occupancy better than last year. Berry Cos., owners of Eastern Slope Inn and Attitash Mountain Village, reported only a slight decrease from 2023 levels. Kovach added, “Folks are waiting to hear the weather forecast and are booking last minute.” This was seconded by Paul Durfee, Marketing Manager for Berry Cos. who says future booking windows are shrinking.
Families came ready to play as area attractions and activities stated visitation was up considerably for the period. Bob Tupper, owner of White Lake Speedway, attributes the increase to a recent expansion of their indoor “Winter Fun Zone” with laser tag, mini-bowling and arcade games. The Cog Railway quoted a 10% increase for Friday - Sunday. Cranmore Mountain and the many other downhill and Nordic ski areas in the Valley were busy as well. Lisa McCoy, owner of International Mountain Climbing School stated they were fully booked and have every guide assigned for the entire week.
Visitors were made up of mostly families (91% of those reporting) and couples (73%) hailing from nearby New England states, especially Massachusetts (100%), New Hampshire and Rhode Island (73% ea.) and Maine (64%).
Looking ahead to the rest of the season and into the busy summer, Mystic Sugar Bakery foresees significant growth in tour bus groups. Conway Scenic Railway has partnered with Portland-based cruise ship operators and plans to bring tourists from the coast to North Conway Village.
For more information on the Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce, visit them online at www.visitMWV.com
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