Berlin – November 2025
Mountain resorts face a familiar challenge: increasing revenue while offering guests a fair and attractive price structure. This is especially true when skier numbers remain stable from one winter to the next—and accommodation capacities grow only slowly.
Today, two pricing strategies dominate the market: flat, static online discounts and dynamic, flexible pricing. But which model is truly future-proof—and how do the results differ in practice?
DYNAMIC PRICING: FLEXIBLE PRICES THAT BENEFIT EVERYONE
Dynamic pricing is more than a trend. It increases revenue, improves forecasting, boosts guest satisfaction—and helps keep skiing accessible. Between 2020 and 2025, the number of resorts using this model has grown to more than 60, especially in Switzerland and Austria.
Key advantages include:
- Higher revenue & improved cashflow: Flexible prices generate +10 to +15% higher revenue and shift sales earlier in the season. Guests purchase lift tickets on average 30–40 days in advance, significantly improving cashflow.
- Broader price range & more affordable skiing: Lower entry prices give families and price-sensitive guests access to attractive rates (often even below the static prices of previous years), while higher prices are possible during peak times and high demand—particularly at the cash desk. This creates a fair balance between willingness to pay and yield.
- Forecasting through simulation: Dynamic pricing allows precise prediction of the expected average ticket price by guest segment for the upcoming winter. Resorts know well before the season starts what revenue levels they can expect.
- More customer data & better crowd management: A higher online share (30–60%) generates valuable data for marketing and planning. At the same time, guest flows can be actively managed to better utilize off-peak periods.
FLAT ONLINE DISCOUNTS: POPULAR, YET LIMITING
Flat online discounts are widely used—and for understandable reasons. They’re easy to implement, require little technical setup, and often serve as a simple first step toward digitalizing ticket sales. The message “Book online = save money” is easy to communicate and quickly gains acceptance, especially under competitive pressure.
However, this simplicity comes at a cost: The discount applies regardless of demand, weather, or season, leaving valuable revenue potential untapped. With an average benefit of only about 5% compared to on-site prices (versus up to 20% under dynamic pricing), buying online becomes less compelling for many guests. As a result, the online share typically reaches just 5–15%. Flat discounts also shorten the booking window: guests purchase only 1–5 days in advance. This reduces forecasting accuracy, increases weather dependency, and eliminates the cashflow advantages that come with early bookings—limiting resorts’ ability to steer demand and grow sustainably.
THE DIFFERENCE IN NUMBERS: DYNAMIC PRICING VS. FLAT DISCOUNTS
The following comparison clearly shows how each model impacts revenue, forecasting, and price structure:
FINANCIAL SIDE EFFECTS: IMPROVED CASHFLOW AS AN UNDERRATED DRIVER
Dynamic pricing delivers not only higher revenue but also a significant financial advantage through improved cashflow. With guests purchasing on average 30 days in advance, resorts receive substantial funds much earlier. For destinations with total seasonal revenues in the multi-million range, early payments alone can generate interest gains in the high five-figure range—often enough to cover all system costs.
Flat online discounts, however, push bookings almost entirely to the last minute (1–5 days before use). This eliminates both liquidity benefits and forecasting accuracy.
CONCLUSION: FORWARD-THINKING RESORTS CHOOSE DYNAMIC PRICING
Dynamic pricing is more than a pricing strategy—it’s a smart management tool that boosts revenue, forecasting reliability, and guest satisfaction in equal measure.
Flat discounts may be easy to implement, but they ultimately limit financial and operational potential—especially regarding revenue optimization, customer insights, and demand steering.
In practice, one thing becomes clear: The success of dynamic pricing is not only about technology—it’s about communication. The way resorts explain and frame their pricing approach plays a decisive role.
PRICE FAIRNESS AS A KEY SUCCESS FACTOR
A frequently discussed topic around dynamic pricing is whether guests perceive the price structure as fair. Transparent communication is essential to build trust and foster acceptance.
How resorts can achieve this in practice is the focus of our blog post:
If you’d like to explore how dynamic pricing could impact your resort specifically, feel free to reach out.