NAICS 713920 Quarterly Industry Report
Skiing Facilities
Comprehensive industry research for valuation professionals, business owners, buyers, and lenders
NAICS Code: 713920Sector: Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)Updated: Q1 2026
About This Report
Fair Market Value compiles this NAICS 713920 industry report using data from the U.S. Census Bureau[7], the Bureau of Labor Statistics[6], and the Small Business Administration[8]. Our research team analyzes skier visits, revenue per visit, and season pass penetration to build valuation benchmarks for skiing operations. This report on NAICS 713920 is updated quarterly to reflect season snowfall conditions and pass program dynamics.
Industry Snapshot
Key metrics for the skiing facilities industry.
NAICS Sector
71
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
Industry Definition & Overview
Skiing Facilities (NAICS 713920) encompasses establishments primarily engaged in operating downhill, cross-country, and alpine skiing areas, snowboarding terrain parks, and related winter sports facilities. These resorts generate revenue from lift ticket sales, season pass programs, equipment rentals, ski and snowboard school lessons, food and beverage outlets, retail shops, and lodging operations at base area properties.
Multi-resort pass products have reshaped the industry by aggregating dozens of ski areas under single season pass brands, shifting consumer spending from per-visit tickets to prepaid annual commitments. Two major pass networks dominate the North American market, controlling access to hundreds of mountains. Independent ski areas compete on value pricing, community atmosphere, and geographic convenience for regional day-trip markets. Snowmaking technology extends and stabilizes the operating season, particularly at lower-elevation resorts vulnerable to variable natural snowfall.
The Census Bureau[5] tracks ski resort revenue within the recreation sector. Most Bureau of Labor Statistics[6] reports employment for ski patrol, lift operators, ski instructors, and hospitality workers. Revenue concentrates in a four-to-five month winter season, creating cash flow cycles that require careful working capital management. Summer operations including mountain biking, hiking, scenic chairlift rides, and music festivals have expanded the revenue window at many larger resorts. Facilities concentrate in the Rocky Mountain West, Pacific Northwest, Northeast, and upper Midwest where terrain and climate support reliable winter seasons.
What's Included in This Industry
- Downhill ski lift and terrain operations
- Snowboard terrain park design and maintenance
- Cross-country and Nordic ski trail management
- Ski and snowboard equipment rental services
- Ski school instruction and lesson programs
- Season pass and multi-resort pass sales
- Base area food and beverage operations
- Retail ski shop and equipment sales
- Snowmaking system operation and maintenance
- Summer mountain recreation and event programming
NAICS Classification Hierarchy
| Level | Description | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Sector | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 71 |
| Subsector | Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries | 713 |
| Industry Group | Other Amusement and Recreation Industries | 7139 |
| NAICS Industry | Skiing Facilities | 71392 |
| National Industry | Skiing Facilities | 713920 |
Related NAICS Codes
| Code | Description | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| 713990 | All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries | Other recreation businesses including tubing parks and ice rinks offer winter entertainment alternatives that compete for cold-weather leisure spending |
| 713940 | Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers | Fitness centers attract off-season training and conditioning spending from the same active lifestyle consumer base that ski resorts serve |
| 721110 | Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels | Hotels and lodges at base areas capture overnight visitor spending that multiplies total revenue per skier visit beyond lift ticket prices |
| 722511 | Full-Service Restaurants | Restaurants operate lodge dining rooms and base area eateries that generate food revenue supplementing lift ticket and pass income |
| 339920 | Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing | Sporting goods manufacturers supply the skis, snowboards, boots, and apparel that resorts sell through base area retail shops |
| 532284 | Recreational Goods Rental | Recreational goods rental outlets provide ski equipment for visitors who do not bring their own gear, generating per-visit rental revenue |
Geographic Concentration
Top states by share of national establishments.
| # | State | % Est. | Total Est. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado | 10.2% | 34 |
| 2 | New York | 9.6% | 32 |
| 3 | California | 7.2% | 24 |
| 4 | Wisconsin | 6.3% | 21 |
| 5 | Michigan | 5.4% | 18 |
| 6 | Washington | 4.8% | 16 |
| 7 | Minnesota | 4.5% | 15 |
| 8 | Maine | 4.5% | 15 |
| 9 | Montana | 4.5% | 15 |
| 10 | Vermont | 4.2% | 14 |
% Of Establishments
0%
10%
Source: County Business Patterns, U.S. Census Bureau[3]
SBA Lending Summary
24
Total SBA Loans
$12.0M
Total Loan Volume
$499K
Average Loan Size
15 yrs
Average Loan Term
8.87%
Average Interest Rate
544
Jobs Supported
Source: SBA 7(a) Program Data, U.S. Small Business Administration — FY 2025[4]
Key Insight: The SBA size standard[9] for NAICS 713920 is $35 million in average annual receipts, classifying resorts below this revenue threshold as small businesses for federal programs. Ski operators can access SBA 7(a) loans[10] for snowmaking equipment, lift upgrades, and working capital, while SBA 504 loans[11] support lodge and base area real estate. Many independent and smaller regional ski areas qualify as small businesses.
Top SBA Lenders
| # | Lender | Loans | Volume | Avg Loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Huntington National Bank | 8 | $8.4M | $1.0M |
| 2 | Newtek Bank, National Association | 8 | $2.0M | $250K |
| 3 | Bangor Savings Bank | 8 | $1.6M | $200K |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this industry.
What types of businesses fall under NAICS 713920?
NAICS 713920 covers operators of skiing and snowboarding facilities. This includes destination ski resorts, regional day-trip mountains, cross-country ski centers, snowboard terrain parks, and multi-season mountain recreation resorts.
How is NAICS 713920 different from 713990?
NAICS 713920 specifically covers ski and snowboard area operations, while 713990 covers broader recreation activities like tubing, skating, and other outdoor fun. Skiing facilities sell lift tickets; 713990 activities charge per-use or hourly rates, per Census Bureau classifications[12].
What is the SBA size standard for ski resorts?
The SBA sets the size standard for NAICS 713920 at $35 million in average annual receipts. Resorts below this threshold qualify as small businesses, per the SBA size standards table[9].
What NAICS codes are related to skiing?
Related codes include 713990 (other recreation), 713940 (fitness centers), 721110 (hotels), 722511 (restaurants), 339920 (sporting goods), and 532284 (equipment rental). Each connects through lodging, dining, or equipment supply.
What industries are closely related to ski facilities?
Closely related industries include resort lodging (721110), mountain dining (722511), winter recreation (713990), equipment manufacturing (339920), and fitness training (713940).
What activities are included in ski resort operations?
Activities include lift operations, terrain maintenance, snowmaking, ski school instruction, equipment rental, pass sales, base area dining, retail sales, and summer mountain programming. The Census Bureau[5] tracks ski resort revenue.
Can ski resorts get SBA loans?
Where are ski facilities concentrated?
Colorado, Utah, and Vermont host the largest concentrations. California, Montana, Wyoming, New Hampshire, and Maine also support major ski resort clusters. Regional day-trip areas operate in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and the Pacific Northwest, per Census Bureau County Business Patterns[13].
Sources & References
Government datasets and editorial sources used in this report.
- [1]U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages bls.gov
- [2]U.S. Census Bureau, Economic Census census.gov
- [3]U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns census.gov
- [4]U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA 7(a) Loan Program Data data.sba.gov
- [5]Census Bureau data.census.gov
- [6]Bureau of Labor Statistics bls.gov
- [7]U.S. Census Bureau census.gov
- [8]Small Business Administration sba.gov
- [9]SBA size standard sba.gov
- [10]SBA 7(a) loans sba.gov
- [11]SBA 504 loans sba.gov
- [12]Census Bureau classifications census.gov
- [13]Census Bureau County Business Patterns census.gov
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