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September revenue at Western mountain destinations jumped 16.7%, but winter bookings are running 8.3% behind last year. Airbnb just handed hosts new pricing tools to close that gap. And in Jackson, the town and county want someone to run the Virginian RV Park next summer.
MARKET INTEL
A strong fall, and a winter that isn’t booking yet
Inntopia’s DestiMetrics tracks lodging across 17 Mountain West resort communities, and its latest report (released October 15, with data through September 30) shows two very different seasons.
September was excellent. Compared with last year, occupancy rose 6.6%, average daily rate rose 9.6%, and revenue rose 16.7%. The full summer season finished with occupancy up 2%, rate up 6%, and revenue up 8.2%.
Winter is another story. Bookings on the books for November through March are down 8.3% in occupancy and 7% in projected revenue, with rates up just 1.4%. By month:
November: flat
December: down 6.9%
February: down 4.6%
March: down 17.1%
Tom Foley, Inntopia’s director of business intelligence, blamed a “snow hangover” after last year’s poor snow and said consumers “remain unconvinced at this point about committing to a booking.” Travelers have been hunting for value since May, which is why the value-priced months of September and October outperformed.
Foley expects operators will need value-added promotions and rate adjustments to drive winter bookings.
The operator takeaway: don’t panic over a weak winter pace in October. Guests are booking later and waiting for deals. But March at −17% is a real gap. If your calendar looks like that, plan your promotions now rather than in February.
OPERATOR PLAYBOOK
Airbnb’s new tools for filling a soft winter
Airbnb’s Fall 2026 update, announced September 30, includes several tools aimed at the same problem: filling nights without cutting your rate for everyone.
1. The top-rated guest discount. Hosts can now add a 15% discount that shows only to guests rated 4.8 stars or higher with at least three reviews. Everyone else sees your normal rate. Airbnb says the discount helps your listing “show up in more searches.” You turn it on yourself with the “Add discount” option.
Airbnb’s own estimate: hosts who offered similar discounts earned 19% more and booked 24% more nights on average. Airbnb calls these modeled estimates from an experiment with check-ins on or after July 31, 2026, and notes results may vary.
2. Dynamic pricing. Rolling out in October. Airbnb recommends a price range, and your nightly prices adjust daily based on supply and demand. You can compare against similar listings and change your prices at any time.
3. Pricing and availability insights. Also rolling out in October: calendar suggestions based on what guests in your area are searching for and booking, including last-minute settings to fill open nights.
How to use them this winter:
Try the top-rated guest discount on your softest months first. It’s a way to offer a deal while limiting it to guests with a strong track record.
If you test dynamic pricing, set your floor carefully. Your range is your protection against selling a holiday night too cheap.
Watch the last-minute suggestions. With guests booking late, the last two weeks before a stay may matter more than usual this season.
DEAL SPOTLIGHT
Jackson wants someone to run the Virginian RV Park in 2027
The Jackson Town Council and Teton County Commission voted unanimously on October 5 to release a request for proposals to operate an RV park at the Virginian for summer 2027, with a possible extension into 2028, according to Woodall’s Campground Magazine, citing the Jackson Hole News&Guide.
Officials considered allowing longer-term RVs or mobile homes for households that meet housing qualifications, and decided against it. Commissioner Len Carlman described the RV park as a proven model that makes money.
The background: the Virginian is a roughly 5-acre, roughly 100-site RV park in the center of Jackson. The Jackson/Teton County Housing Authority agreed to buy it in 2023 to build workforce housing, according to Buckrail. The town and county later ended their housing deal with developer Pennrose on 3–2 votes, and the RV park has kept operating since.
Why it’s worth watching: in-town RV sites in Jackson are rare, and this is a chance to operate one without buying land. The request for proposals hasn’t been released yet, so there’s no deadline or lease terms to share. If you run RV parks or campgrounds, watch the Town of Jackson and Teton County for the release.
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