‘Vail All the Love’ returns for second winter
Vail, CO, Colorado
The nation’s slumping economy may not be as hobbled as it was a year ago, but people are still looking for deals in Vail, Colorado and elsewhere.
The Vail All the Love program was launched last season as a way to make those deals easier for visitors to get. Last year’s program was funded in part by a $500,000 contribution from the town of Vail and a lot of Vail Resorts’ marketing muscle.
Last winter’s program brought an estimated 7,000 room nights to Vail. Combined with other spending, program managers estimate that about $3.5 million in new money came to Vail. The summer program brought even more people to town, but about $3.1 million in new spending.
The lure of new customers is what prompted Arriesgado Clothing owner Cabal Yarne to participate last year. But, in a year when even people who came to Vail for a ski vacation or weekend were watching every dollar, Yarne didn’t have one customer ask for an All the Love Special.
Yarne’s hoping wallets will crack open a little wider this season, which is why he’s again put a special into the All the Love database – a free hat, scarf or T-shirt worth $25 with the purchase of $50 or more in other items.
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“We’ll see what happens,” Yarne said. “But I’m hoping it will increase sales and get new clients into the store.”
While Yarne’s hoping for the best this season, he believes in the program.
“It’s been a good thing,” he said. “It’s been bringing people to the hotels, and I’ve talked to a lot of people at restaurants and on the mountain who said they’ve had good results.”
Matt Carroll saw better All the Love results last season at the store he manages, the Double Diamond Ski Shop in Lionshead.
“We had quite a few people taking advantage of it last year,” Carroll said. Many all the Love customers bought small items such as gloves and goggles, Carroll said.
“We’ll see how it works this season,” he said. “But with the economy the way it is, anything that makes it a little easier to come here is a good thing.”
Vail Valley Partnership Director of Marketing Chris Romer said “value” continues to be a watchword in the traveling public, and Vail All the Love is a way to get out the message that there’s good value in a Vail vacation.
“People have a lot of choices out there,” Romer said. “Programs like Vail All the Love add value to the destination.”
Business Editor Scott N. Miller can be reached at 970-748-2930 or smiller@vaildaily.com.
