When self-confessed snowboarding addict Risma Utami planned ski trips from her adopted hometown of Sydney, conspicuously absent from the wishlist of destinations were the fields in the nearby Snowy Mountains.
"Europe, Japan and New Zealand are cheaper, you have better quality snow there, more challenging slopes, great accommodation, less waiting time at the lift and more skiing," the 29-year old said.
With climate change threatening Australia's already meager alpine skiing resources, the Snowy Mountains might not seem an obvious choice for the first international foray by U.S. ski giant Vail Resorts Inc., which last week agreed to pay $136 million for Perisher Ski Resort.