Australia Weather News

Two weeks into the official snow season and the Snowy Mountains have finally had a decent dusting.

Regular skiers are expected to start booking trips to southern snow resorts as weather reports promise more dumpings.

But tourism operators are also looking to reach new markets in a bid to make the most of the crucial winter season.

Thredbo Resort operations manager Stuart Diver said it had been a good start to the snow season.

"It's obviously been a major turnaround from what it was a few days ago," he said.

"We've had a few big storms come through and we've pretty well got everything open here in Thredbo so there are a lot of smiling faces."

Queensland schools are among the first to make group bookings at the slopes.

But to keep business booming, snow resorts need to look beyond the regular crowd.

International students a growing market

First-time skiers are an important part of the equation, and students from overseas are a relatively new and promising target market.

Katherine Castro is a student from Colombia who was visiting with a group of friends.

"We are here because it's a famous place and we always wanted to visit this place," Ms Castro said.

With more than half a million foreign students enrolled in educational institutions in Australia, it makes sense for the snowfields to target them.

Tourism companies are selling the snow as a fun way to wind down after exams.

Wendy Tang, from Guangxi in China, came to Australia to study English.

"I'm studying in Sydney and in the school holidays I decided to come to this place," Ms Tang said.

"I heard from my friends that skiing is really fun so I though I'd come here and try it."

More snow is expected in the Snowy Mountains from this Thursday through to Saturday, which is sure to please experts and novices alike.