Is boarding on the wane?

NB this is NOT a trolling post or an attempt to start a "one tray is better/worse than two planks" discussion

Last week in Andorra noticed that boarders were a definitely smaller minority that I've seen lots of other years and this got me to wondering and discussing with a few different people

Things discussed included:

Board technology now on twin tips skis so the younger generation take them to park?
Differs from country to country
Def in decline as we now employ fewer board instructors (from a ski school employee)
Powder ski tech now so good that backcountry advantage gone for boards
People sick of unclipping on flat bits/chairs etc has finally caught up!

Anyone have any thoughts, comments, statistics etc?

Again I'm genuinely interetsed, not trying to be controversial for sake of it!

Perhaps boarders are not so evident on the slopes now they are so well catered for in the fun parks?

The snowboard market peaked at 1.6 million boards in 2000 and has since decreased to 0.8 million. Hardly any of the kids here are taking it up these days, as it's viewed as being about as cool as going to the supermarket in your pyjamas.

My instructor in Arabba this year was of the opinion that boarding in Italy will be dead in 10 years. Due to combination of reasons including improved ski technology and Italian parents not wanting their offspring boarding. Says they are renting out fewer and fewer boards each year.

Certainly on the decline in recent years, for all the reasons in the OP I think.

But I wonder if we'll see a resurgence if it does become rare and hence "cool" again? Or perhaps it's destined to become a niche like monoskis?

Good points Andy, and undoubtedly true. Its very unusual these days to see a group of youngsters in a ski school board class these days. In fact in Soldeu its unusual to see any board classes. The Board instructors are all double qualified now to ensure work. Boarding does now seem to attract a certain type of 'dude'!
It has, however, fulfilled a useful purpose by pushing on ski technology and making off piste and back country skiing more accessible.
Wide waist skis are definitely the new 'cool'.