Businesses across the state's alpine region have welcomed a strong start to the winter season with visitor groups coming through in "droves".

Mansfield business owner Dean Belle said it had been an "absolute show-stopper of a season" with the amount of snow falling, and that it had set things up nicely for the rest of winter.

He said he was very happy with the numbers of visitors coming through his cafe store, as well as his mini-golf, coffee and donut businesses.

"Family groups, multi-generational, and there's just a big smile on their faces.

"They're just going, 'It's so nice to be back in the mountains again and around the place'."

Mr Belle said while staff shortages were having an impact on many businesses this season, it was nice to see people flock back into stores.

Record snow and visitor numbers 

Falls Creek Alpine Resort Management Board said it had seen record snow depth and attendance at the start of the winter season.

The board's chief executive, Stuart Smythe, said a Queen's Birthday long weekend snow depth of more than 104 centimetres was the highest they had seen since their records started in 1934.

Mr Smythe said they had also seen a significant number of visitors over that weekend.

He said there was a high degree of expectation for the rest of the season. 

"We anticipate that we'll easily go somewhere between 450,000 to 500,000 in ski days this winter," he said.

"That would certainly put it up there as one for the record books."

Welcome return of trade 

CEO of Tourism North East Bess Nolan-Cook said it was absolutely wonderful to see people back out on the slopes.

"Certainly we're hearing from accommodation providers that occupancy is incredibly high, if not completely full, over the coming school holidays."