Vermont Business Leaders Cite Costs in Fed Talks

Tourism executives told Boston Fed President Susan Collins that rising costs and budget-conscious visitors are shaping their pricing and spending.

Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Inflation

Isometric editorial illustration of an empty chairlift on a snowy Vermont slope under a flat winter sky, with bare birch trees along the trail. — Vermont tourism executives told Boston Fed President Susan Collins that rising labor and material costs are forcing price increases on budget-conscious visitors this season. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Are you cutting back on spending at restaurants or ski trips because of prices?

Vermont tourism and hospitality executives met with Boston Fed President Susan Collins at Killington Resort's K-1 Lodge to discuss rising costs and budget-conscious consumers. Business leaders said they have raised prices to cope with labor and material challenges.

Why it matters

The roundtable offers a view of how inflation pressures are reaching Vermont's seasonal economy, where price increases can affect visitor spending and business planning. Collins oversees one of the 12 regional Federal Reserve banks but does not currently vote on interest rates.

Killington's ski visits rose 6% last year, while food and beverage sales per visitor dipped more than 10%, based on figures reported by the resort. The source does not indicate whether that spending decline will persist into the coming season.

The players

Killington Resort

A ski resort in Killington, Vermont, which hosted the roundtable and reported last year's visitor and spending figures.

Susan Collins

President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, who oversees one of the 12 regional banks in the Federal Reserve system and does not currently vote on interest rates.

The details

Business leaders said they raised prices to cope with challenges in labor and materials, and equipment and labor costs have increased faster than inflation. Killington's CEO opened the off-the-record gathering with a presentation on financial performance under new independent ownership.

Last year: Killington ski visits rose 6%, the best Vermont ski year in a decade.
October: Inflation remained elevated in New England and nationally.
Over the last three years: Killington completed $80 million in infrastructure upgrades.
This week (November 2026): Boston Fed roundtable with Vermont business leaders held at Killington.

Macro View

The Boston Fed's regional role, one of twelve district banks in the Federal Reserve system, places this roundtable within the central bank's practice of gathering local business input on inflation. Collins's gathering in Vermont follows that district-level outreach, even though she does not currently vote on interest rates.

Vermont visitors may find ski-season pricing shaped by higher labor and equipment costs, as businesses pass those increases along. Households planning trips or local spending should expect that costs in the hospitality sector remain elevated while inflation stays high.

The takeaway

Rising operating costs are pushing Vermont's seasonal businesses to raise prices even as visitors cut back on discretionary spending. Watching how per-visitor spending evolves will show how inflation is reshaping the state's tourism economy.