Heavy snow at Mount Washington Alpine Resort is raining dollars onto the Comox Valley, delivering an extra-strong economic boost to the region.

Hotels, restaurants, ski and snowboard shops, and spas are all reporting higher than usual bookings and sales this week as snow lovers flock to the slopes to take advantage of the snow conditions.

The resort near Courtenay expects about 7,000 visitors per day during the holiday season. It has a base of 515 centimetres and all areas are open. After 2.5 metres fell within 48 hours last week, the mountain was able to boast having the deepest snowpack among all ski resorts worldwide.

Parking lots have been cleared and about 200 new spots have been created by filling in ditches with snow. Dump trucks have been carrying snow off the mountain to make room for parking, resort spokesman Brent Curtain said Thursday. More than 2,000 spaces are available.

The combination of record numbers of skiers and parking lots not being fully cleared forced the ski hill to turn away some customers on Monday and Tuesday.

But the resort now has more capacity and "we have spots all over the place," Curtain said.

Curtain attributes the boom to the snowfall, saying that any impact from the 2010 Winter Olympics will likely be felt a few years later. Several teams practised at Mount Washington prior to heading to Whistler to compete.

Visitors filled every room at the 143-room Best Western Westerly Hotel and Convention Centre in Courtenay on Monday and Tuesday and the hotel has been near capacity since, said general manager Michelle Le Sage. Occupancy jumped 74 per cent from Dec. 24 to Dec. 28.

Guests are choosing the two-day ski package over the one-day option, and many are saying they will return this season. This week has been "exceptionally busy," Le Sage said. "Everyone is happy because the skiing is so wonderful."

She expects today will be fully booked by the end of the day and urges people to make reservations in advance for the hotel's four New Year's parties.

Bookings for January are up about 50 per cent compared to the same time last year, Le Sage said.

The renovated Comox Valley Inn and Suites saw bookings jump for its 42 rooms, said co-manager Erin Lambert. "We are really enjoying it. Thank goodness for Mount Washington."

More bookings translates into more hours for staff. "Everybody benefits," she said.

At the Old House Village Hotel and Spa in Courtenay, "we have seen an unusual amount of business in the spa this week," said general manager Kerry Pearce.

Jeff Lucas, president of the Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce, said, "There has certainly been a visitor increase. There's no doubt about that."

Not only are more visitors arriving from off-Island, but Islanders who might have left for other resorts are tending to remain here to enjoy Mount Washington, he said.

Lucas, who is part-owner of the Old House Restaurant in Courtenay, was surprised by the surge in customers this week. The restaurant was full at 2 p.m. on Thursday, a time when lunch would normally have wrapped up.

The reason? "It's mostly the snowfall," Lucas said.

Brian Scott, owner of Courtenay's 36-bed Cona Hostel, said, "We have been pretty much at capacity for the last few weeks — at 85 to 95 per cent every night, so it's great."

As well as Island visitors, more Europeans than usual are arriving to ski, he said.

The number of beds filled tends to reflect snow conditions on the mountain and this season has brought in skiers, he said.

Wider "fat" skis are especially popular this season as skiing grows in popularity and resorts open more terrain, Ski Surf and Kayak store owner Kevin Lawrence said from Courtenay. "It has been more of an equipment year than a clothing year so far," he said.

Lawrence thinks there was pent-up demand from consumers, who had held off on purchases because of economic uncertainty.

cjwilson@timescolonist.com