JACKSON, Wyo. — The Jackson Hole Airport reported a 20% decrease in seats sold in the month of December. The airport is projecting that January through March will experience a 24-50% drop in seats sold compared to the same time last year.

According to the airport, short lead bookings are increasing week over week. Decmeber reported a four-point increase.

The airport also shared exit survey data for Dec., revealing different tourism habits compared to years past. 73% of respondents said they stayed in rental lodging, compared to 42% from Dec. 2019. 62% of people reported they were first time guests or hadn’t visited Jackson Hole in the past 5 winters.

The Chamber of Commerce reports lodging occupancy levels for all of Jackson. In December, occupancy levels were at 49.8%, a 14.2% increase from Dec. 2019’s, 43.6%. January is projected to have a 44.3% occupancy rate, compared to 51.3% in 2019.

This weekend, Jan 15-16, the occupancy rate in all of Jackson Hole is expected to be 62.7%. New Year’s weekend reported a 76.1% occupancy rate.

This winter may prove to be hard to predict, with tourists booking flights last-minute and seeking out rental lodging at higher rates. One thing is for certain, Jackson Hole remains a winter tourist destination.