NZSki's online forward bookings are 100 per cent up on last year, while ski travel wholesalers report a 10-50 per cent lift.
Common themes are aired by all ski companies: a lower New Zealand dollar has been crucial to ensuring Australian bookings are up; airfares are the most competitive ever, especially on transtasman routes; the Australian dollar price of A$56 ($71.50) for a New Zealand day lift compares very favourably with Australian day passes at A$104.
One reason for that favourable comparison is that, despite the bold front being put up against the recession, only one skifield, Cardrona, has been game to hike lift prices, even though costs have risen substantially. But the other is that the cost of getting to the South Island skifields continues to reduce.
The entry of budget airline Jetstar to the domestic market early next month, including flights into Queenstown, will be a huge boon for the South.
"That's a critical factor in the whole equation," says Coddington.
Jetstar's entry will make it easier for both domestic and international travellers to get to the skifields.
Cheap flights across the Tasman are another key issue.
"With the price war going on across the Tasman, that's in our favour."
Flights from Australia's eastern seaboard to Christchurch cost as little A$29, and from Christchurch travellers can pick up cheap domestic flights.
Although it may not happen this year, Jetstar rival Pacific Blue has been showing off a new small 100-seat Brazilian jet, highly suitable for flying to destinations like Queenstown. Its entry to the skifield market would be the icing on the cake.
Coddington also cites "serious money" spent in a more co-ordinated fashion by Tourism New Zealand, Air New Zealand, nzski.com and others this year to promote local skifields across the ditch, resulting in much greater awareness.
"Affordability, coupled with unrest in Fiji and Thailand, which are traditional winter holiday spots for Australia, all adds to the collective benefit of skiing in New Zealand."
The Australian market matters, because there are 1.1 million active skiers versus 200,000 in New Zealand, but it's not just about Australians.
Although tourism statistics show a sharp falloff in northern hemisphere visitor numbers, Coddington says they make up, at most, 10 per cent of sales, and the bulk of these are youngsters who come to New Zealand on a gap year and are largely unaffected by the global turmoil.
In fact, he argues, the recession may even boost sales.
"This year many people haven't gone to Japan and they haven't gone to Europe and they haven't gone to North America in nearly as high numbers as the past, mainly because of the exchange rate.
"They are now looking for the deal to come and go skiing. It's now coming down to whether to go in New Zealand or Australia."
Then there is the local market. Cardrona marketing manager Nadia Ellis says season pass sales were "really, really encouraging" - that is, level with last year.
In 2008, Cadrona had a record season, and long-range forecasts suggest this one could be equally good.
"Given good snow, we have every reason to be confident."
Niwa forecasts a long, cold winter. South Island fields received an early blanketing of snow this month.
Mt Hutt announced plans to open late this month, two weeks early, the first time in a decade it has opened in May, after receiving 170cm of snow over 12 days to give it a 110cm base.
"Our planets are aligned," Coddington says.
"If you take away the recession, the haze of the doom and gloom that is hovering around the world, and you just look at the facts, you couldn't have a more aligned planet. The only thing we don't have aligned yet is the snow."
Like most skifield operators, The Remarkables ski area manager, Ross Lawrence, says he is excited about current conditions.
"It is the best start to the season anybody can remember for many years. These are magic conditions for this time of year so we're all hyped up for some superb skiing and riding from opening day."
The recession, on top of big spending over the past few years, means there is little in the way of new facilities offered to visitors.
However, new transport systems will be in place. During the season, Connectabus will run a $10 return shuttle to NZSki's fields with five-ticket passes available for $30, and those going to The Remarkables will get free rides with their lift tickets.
Treble Cone is also offering new shuttle services as it attempts to "green" its image. It will use sustainable energy to drive its lifts
and is putting much more into recycling its waste. Visitors to
Treble Cone will enjoy free access to its learner lifts beside the ski area base lodge.
"The new service is a great benefit for local families and for
learner skiers and snowboarders," says Thomas.
Meanwhile, Cardrona has extended its snow-making facilities,
improved some trails and upgraded its superpipe.
Following Mt Hutt's opening on the Saturday of Queen's Birthday weekend (May 30), Coronet Peak plans to open on June 6 and The
Remarkables on June 20. Treble Cone expects to open on June 27, and Cardrona on June 26.
CHECKLIST
Further information: Treble Cone has its own website, information on The Remarkables and Mt Hutt can be found at nzski.com. You can find out about most New Zealand skifields online at nzsnow.co.nz.
