Operators take prudent approach

Southern Lakes skifields are maintaining a fiscally prudent approach to the season's start and are ready to react should visitor numbers exceed expectations.

• Riding out the recession

Wanaka skifields Treble Cone and Snow Park are cutting back on employee numbers as part of their operational "belt-tightening" in tough economic times.

However, it is business as usual for NZSki.com's two Queenstown operations - Coronet Peak and the Remarkables - with Cardrona Alpine Resort also unconcerned about the "possible" recessionary effects.

All of the skifield operators spoken to by the Otago Daily Times said they were positive about the approaching ski season.

NZ Ski CEO James Coddington said the Queenstown arm of its operations would employ 1100 people at Coronet and the Remarkables.

About 600 employees were returning to their jobs, while 5000 online applications had been received for the remaining 500 positions, Mr Coddington said.

Extenuating factors and industry predictions, such as cheaper flights across the Tasman, possible in-creasing skifield visitor numbers from Australia, and one of the coldest winter forecasts in years, pointed to a good season ahead, he said.

Cardrona Alpine Resort director Duncan Veall was pragmatic about the approaching winter season and any possible recessionary effects, when contacted in Melbourne.

"We're going ahead as we normally would," he said.

The skifield had experienced no problems in sourcing staff, with many former employees returning to work among the 500 positions which were being recruited.

It was hard to know how skifield visitors from both the overseas and domestic markets would react to the economic times, until after the season started.

Cardrona was prepared to hire more staff and would react accordingly if customer numbers dictated, Mr Veall said.

Treble Cone general manager Jackie Van Der Voort agreed that any possible recessionary bite was speculation until after the season had started.

Treble Cone had cut 40 staff from last year's roster of 200, she said.

However, the job cuts were not because of the recession, but were associated with a financial loss recorded last year, with several unforeseen and costly infrastructure upgrades required. Operations had been adjusted accordingly, she said.

The skifield had received more job applications than it needed and was prepared to recruit more staff should they be required as the season progressed, she said.

Snow Park NZ has cut its workforce by 60%, although general manager Sam Lee has declined to specify how many jobs that amounted to. The terrain park's visitor numbers had dropped back 15%.

Extenuating circumstances in 2008, such as gondola expansion plans, resource consent decision delays, fuel price increases, and the global recession, had all contributed to the need to tighten operation costs, he said.