Vail Resorts Looks to Tech Vendors For AI Transformation

Skift Take

Vail Resorts is seeking advanced AI, digital logistics, and enterprise software solutions to enhance guest experiences, expand ancillary offerings, and achieve substantial organizational efficiencies, based on AI’s analysis of its latest earnings call transcript.

Last week we started a new feature on Skift, using AI analysis and expert editorial insight to dissect both the verbal discussions in earnings calls and the granular data buried in SEC filings. Our goal is to unearth the tech opportunities these documents reveal—whether that’s upcoming system upgrades, emerging RFPs, or digital transformations. We started the series by analyzing Soho House’s latest earnings call and its 10-Q.

This week, we turn our attention to Vail Resorts (MTN), which reported its quarterly earnings in December. Based on the earnings call transcript for its Q1 2025, we came up with the following analysis:

1. Explicit Mentions of Technology Investments

My Epic App Enhancements

“…the company will also be building on the pilot of My Epic Assistant, a new guest service technology within the My Epic app powered by advanced AI and Resort Experts… the company is planning to invest in more advanced AI capabilities in calendar year 2025.”

• Why It Matters: Vail Resorts explicitly highlights a plan to invest in advanced AI to power an app-based guest service tool. While some of this might be internally developed, large-scale AI/ML implementations often involve partnerships or vendor-provided technology platforms. This signals that Vail is at least exploring third-party solutions (e.g., AI frameworks, natural language processing platforms, or specialized consulting) to expedite development.

My Epic Gear

“…the company is continuing to invest in innovative technology to enhance the guest experience… In the coming years, the company will be investing in additional new functionality for the My Epic app… building on the pilot of My Epic Assistant…”

• Why It Matters: My Epic Gear is a new rental and gear-delivery concept that goes beyond traditional ski rental. It relies on real-time inventory management, logistics, and data-driven guest personalization. Vail discussed “incremental capital investments in premium fleet and fulfillment infrastructure,” which likely includes software solutions for asset tracking, dispatch, routing, and data analytics. These are the sorts of capabilities that could come from specialized technology vendors.

2. Organizational Transformation & Shared Services

Resource Efficiency Transformation Plan

“Through scaled operations, global shared services and expanded workforce management, the company expects $100 million in annualized cost efficiencies by the end of its 2026 fiscal year.”
“…the company continues to make progress against the two-year resource efficiency transformation plan…the guidance includes an estimated $15 million in one-time costs related to the multiyear plan…”

• Why It Matters: Implementing new workforce management systems, centralizing finance/accounting, or automating processes often requires technology from third-party vendors (e.g., ERP implementations, cloud-based HR or finance solutions, workforce scheduling, RPA/AI). While they did not name specific vendors, the scope and scale of a $100 million cost-efficiency target through “global shared services” and “expanded workforce management” strongly suggest interest in enterprise solutions, AI-driven resource scheduling, or other vendor-supported platforms.

3. Digital Guest Experience & Personalized Communication

Guest Experience Personalization

“…the company will also be building on the pilot of My Epic Assistant, a new guest service technology… to better communicate with and personalize the experience for our guests.”

• Why It Matters: Personalized and automated communication (push notifications, chatbots, personal itinerary suggestions) often requires specialized CRM and AI-driven marketing platforms. This is another clue they might be seeking outside vendors—or, at a minimum, specialized technology partners—to improve or expand these capabilities.

4. Implications: Areas Where Vail Could Seek Vendors

1. AI & Machine Learning – For My Epic Assistant, guest personalization, and potentially back-office/efficiency initiatives.
2. Logistics, Inventory & Fulfillment – My Epic Gear likely requires advanced logistics and inventory-management systems, potentially from established players in that domain.
3. Workforce Management & ERP – Achieving $100 million cost efficiencies with global shared services may entail implementing or upgrading enterprise solutions, often requiring external technology vendors or consultants.
4. CRM & Marketing Technology – Enhancing personalized messaging, loyalty marketing, and real-time guest communications commonly calls for specialized martech solutions or platforms.

From the earnings call, yes, Vail Resorts appears to be in the market (either now or soon) for vendor technology solutions. The clearest signals are:

• Repeated references to advanced AI for guest-facing services (My Epic Assistant).
• A large, multiyear “resource efficiency transformation plan” targeting $100 million in annualized efficiencies—suggesting significant systems or process overhauls (often involving new software platforms).
• Specific mention of technology investments for “innovative guest experiences” and logistics (My Epic Gear), which typically involve partnering with software and hardware vendors.

While Vail may already have robust internal teams, the scope and sophistication of these initiatives (AI, logistics management, global shared services) strongly indicate that they will likely rely on external technology partners and/or off-the-shelf solutions from major enterprise vendors.