On November 5, 2024, Republican Donald Trump was elected the 47th President of the United States, defeating Democrat Kamala Harris in a race that wasn’t as close as polls and political scientists had predicted. The result marks Trump’s return to the White House, making him the first president in over a century to return to office after an electoral defeat. This victory was supported by several American tycoons, including Elon Musk. The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX expressed his support for Trump by donating $75 million to a pro-Trump political action committee (PAC).
Trump’s victory has major implications for several economic sectors, including the U.S. ski industry. His administration’s economic, environmental and immigration policies could influence the operation and sustainability of ski resorts, affecting both operators and ski enthusiasts.
What is Donald Trump’s relationship with the ski industry?
There’s no public evidence that Donald Trump skis. Although he has been photographed at one of Colorado’s top ski resorts, his visits seem to have been more social and amorous than sporting. The last time he was seen on snow was on December 28, 1989, during a family vacation in Aspen. That day, he met by chance at a party held near the Colorado ski slopes. At the time, Donald Trump was married to Ivana Trump, a former Olympic skier from the former Czechoslovakia. And they met Marla Maples, an American actress who would become Donald Trump’s second wife between 1993 and 1999. The two women parted without incident, but met again two days later at a popular restaurant on Ajax Mountain, where Marla Maples confronted her lover’s wife in his presence. The next day, there are well-founded rumors of a possible relationship between Donald Trump and Marla Maples. This tense moment, captured and covered by the New York Post, prompted Ivana to take action and start divorce proceedings.
Since this amorous altercation, Trump has not been seen at a ski resort in the United States, but if we analyze the data from Donald Trump’s presidency between 2017 and 2021, we can see that he has left a significant imprint on various sectors of the American economy, and ski resorts have been no exception. While Trump hasn’t implemented any specific measures for the snow industry, many of his economic, tax, immigration and environmental policies have had an impact on the operations and challenges of ski resorts in the US. On the one hand, tax and deregulation policies have enabled certain operational and fiscal advantages. However, the tightening of immigration policies and the lack of incentives for sustainability have presented the sector with significant challenges that are likely to be repeated.
Tax policies and economic recovery
One of the pillars of the Trump presidency was the 2017 tax reform, which cut corporate and personal taxes. These cuts boosted the purchasing power of many citizens and businesses, and consequently benefited sectors such as mountain tourism. With greater economic availability, American families were more inclined to plan ski vacations in the country, which increased domestic tourism.
In addition, lower corporate taxes made it easier for ski resorts to invest in infrastructure and technology. Some resorts were able to take advantage of these tax breaks to modernize their facilities and improve their services, increasing competition between local resorts and strengthening the sector in the face of international snow destinations.
Relaxation of federal regulations: permits in natural areas
Deregulation policies were also part of Trump’s agenda, and a key element of his administration was cutting red tape in federal areas. Many US ski resorts operate on public land and require special permits to operate. During Trump’s tenure, certain permit granting and renewal procedures were simplified, reducing costs and delays for ski resorts.
However, this relaxation has met with an ambivalent response. While positive for the industry in operational terms, some natural resource advocates felt that the reduction in regulations could lead to excessive and unsustainable use of these mountain areas. Such deregulation raises questions about the long-term preservation of mountain ecosystems, particularly if ski resorts expand their infrastructures without appropriate environmental restrictions.
Impact on seasonal employment: difficulties in recruiting seasonal staff
Seasonal workers are essential to the ski industry. Resorts often hire temporary workers under the H-2B visa program, particularly during peak winter seasons. However, under the Trump administration, immigration policies have been tightened and additional limits have been placed on H-2B visas, resulting in a staffing shortage at many resorts.
“Most Americans want a year-round job. They don’t want a revolving-door job,” Dave Byrd, director of risk and regulatory affairs for the National Ski Resort Association of America, told the New York Post. According to Byrd, 7,000 to 8,000 J-1 workers are hired each winter at the nation’s 470 ski resorts. Another 1,000 to 2,000 workers came to U.S. resorts on H-2B visas, which were also banned by Trump’s executive order. In total, foreign workers accounted for 5% to 10% of the workforce at US ski resorts, according to Byrd.
This change presented a significant challenge, especially for smaller resorts that depended on foreign labor, often of Hispanic origin, to maintain the quality of their services. Some resorts have been able to adapt by using local workers, but this has increased operating costs and undermined efficiency during the high season. The industry was forced to adjust its hiring practices and explore alternatives, such as automation and staff rotation, to ensure a quality experience for visitors.
With Donald Trump back in the White House, the service sector could once again face difficulties in hiring foreign employees, as further restrictions on temporary visa programs are likely to be implemented. This would represent a new challenge for the ski industry, which relies heavily on this type of staff at times of high demand.
Ambiguous stance on climate change and sustainability
Trump’s skeptical stance on climate change and his decision to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement have raised concerns in the ski industry, which relies heavily on stable weather conditions and sufficient snowfall. Global warming poses an existential threat to ski resorts, as it raises temperatures and reduces the length of snow seasons.
In the absence of federal support for sustainable development initiatives, ski resorts have been forced to take the lead in their ecological strategies. Many have chosen to implement sustainable practices privately, such as adoptingsnowmaking technologies, using renewable energies and ensuring sustainable water management. Larger ski resorts, with greater resources at their disposal, have been able to absorb these costs and position themselves as greener destinations, while smaller resorts have faced greater limitations in implementing these practices without government assistance.
America First” will encourage domestic tourism
Trump’s “America First” policy has boosted the domestic economy, which has benefited the domestic tourism industry in general. The dollar’s appreciation during his tenure has encouraged Americans to favor domestic tourism options over more expensive foreign destinations. This favored American ski resorts, which received a greater influx of domestic visitors.
However, more restrictive immigration policies and diplomatic tensions have also reduced the influx of international tourists, a high-value segment for some iconic ski resorts. Visa restrictions and limitations for certain countries have made the United States less accessible to foreign tourists, particularly those from emerging markets interested in snow tourism. This change has particularly affected resorts that rely on international visitors and have had to reorient their marketing strategies towards domestic tourism.
Stimulating innovation in sustainability and energy efficiency
In the absence of consistent federal support for sustainability during the Trump administration, the US ski industry was forced to innovate and fund its own solutions independently. Trump’s environmental policies, which included withdrawing from the Paris Agreement in 2017 and reducing environmental regulations for public land development, created an environment in which ski resorts had to adapt on their own to meet the challenges of an increasingly uncertain climate.
In response, some resorts have begun to invest in cutting-edge technologies to produce artificial snow and reduce their carbon footprint through energy-efficient systems. Resorts like Aspen Snowmass and Vail in Colorado have adopted systems that use solar and wind power, as well as water-saving practices, to keep their operations sustainable and guarantee snow quality.
Despite Trump’s policies, some mountain resorts have led the way in adopting sustainable practices to stay competitive and attract a new profile of environmentally conscious skiers. For example, Vail Resorts has launched its “Epic Promise for a Zero Footprint”initiative, pledging to operate with zero carbon emissions and zero net waste by 2030. In addition, in collaboration with non-profit organizations, they have developed reforestation and waste reduction practices, underlining the importance of environmental protection in the industry.
Aspen Snowmass, another iconic resort, has implemented renewable energy facilities at its resorts and partnered with the Protect Our Winters organization , with which we share values, to advocate climate change policies, setting an example for other smaller resorts. However, these strategies are not within the reach of all resorts, especially smaller ones or those with fewer financial resources, whose ability to implement sustainable technologies on a large scale is limited.
The cost of this innovation is a considerable obstacle for smaller resorts, which don’t have the same profit margins or access to significant funds to invest in sustainable infrastructure. While larger resorts can afford to invest in snowmaking, energy efficiency systems and renewable energy projects, many smaller resorts have been left behind, more vulnerable to the effects of shorter snow seasons and competition from better-equipped destinations.
The absence of federal sustainability tax incentives and targeted subsidies under the Trump administration has accentuated these disparities in the sector. Unlike other sectors where tax deductions for sustainable practices have been implemented, the ski sector has lacked consistent support, limiting the ability of many smaller resorts to adopt green practices.
