ISMA has positive outlook upcoming season

The International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association (ISMA) is expecting good things for the upcoming snowmobile season.

“We enter the 2009-2010 season with a positive outlook supported by robust activity and vigorous support for organized snowmobiling,” the ISMA says in a release.

According to the ISMA, snowmobile registrations in North America were up in 2009 compared to the previous year. Canada saw an 8 percent increase in registered snowmobiles in the 2008-09 season, from 708,490 to 765,275 – a trend that started in 2003. In the United States the gains were more modest. Snowmobile registrations in the U.S. were up 1% from 1,635,361 to 1,652,642. Given the sagging economy, the ISMA is quite pleased by those numbers.

“North American families are snowmobiling more now than ever,” says the ISMA. “They are realizing the fun of snowmobiling and the opportunity to share wonderful experiences with family members and friends.”

Beyond having more registered snowmobiles on the trails, the ISMA says people are logging more miles. The ISMA reports that snowmobilers averaged over 1,300 miles of riding last year, which was a 20% increase from the previous year. The increase in riding and snowmobile registrations, says the ISMA, resulted in strong tourism impact report for snowmobiling. The ISMA says restaurants, motels and related businesses all benefitted from an excellent 2008-2009 snowmobiling season.

“Over $28 billion dollars in economic activity occurred in North America – related to snowmobiling in the 2008-2009 season,” says the ISMA.

If the ISMA is correct, we should also see more young faces on the trail. ISMA survey results show that the average snowmobiler is now one year younger than last year. According to the ISMA, younger folks are joining the snowmobiling family and bringing a renewed level of enthusiasm and confidence to the market.