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Snowboarding News
Snowboarding News - December 2008
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Wednesday, 31 December 2008OnTheSnow.com, asked a wide-ranging group of industry leaders in North and South America, Europe, and Down Under to take their best shot at predicting what lies ahead in 2009.
European leaders worry that the global economic downturn, combined with school holidays clustered closer together than usual, could combine into a visitor decline. "The domestic market will still be holding up, and the decrease from neighbouring markets Germany and France will be moderate," Urs Eberhard, vice president for Switzerland Tourism, said. "But, we expect less visitors from Britain due to the 25 percent gain from the Euro against the pound in the past 18 months."
Bernard Prud'homme, director of Chamonix Tourist Office in France, was more concerned about what lies ahead. "Winter 2009 should be a reasonably correct season, even though certain weeks may be more difficult to sell. However, Chamonix is aware that the economic climate will have more serious consequences on the summer 2009 season and the following winter season of 2010."
North American industry leaders generally concur that "good weather" (read: snow) will be the determining factor for the rest of this season and the start of next. "Our view going forward is that, with good weather, most of the industry will be fine," said Tim Boyd, president, of Peak Resorts, owners of small and mid-sized ski areas in the Midwest, Northeast, and Mid-Atlantic. "Good weather usually trumps everything else."
The drop in gas prices couldn't have come at a better time for "drive to" ski resorts, particularly in California and New England.
"Eighty-five percent of our market arrives by automobile. There has been a palpable sense of relief as gasoline looks to be snuggling in at under $2 a gallon for the 2009 winter," said Bob Roberts, executive director of the California Ski Areas Association. "That said, the depth of our economic woes has us in unchartered waters."
Economic factors and the lead-up to the 2010 Winter Olympics helps the glass stay half full, particularly at Intrawest Resorts, where Whistler-Blackcomb will play dominant venue roles. Intrawest owns resorts in Canada, Colo., N.J., W. Va., and Vt.
"The rapid strengthening of the U.S. dollar will encourage increased U.S. travel to Canada, while economically and currency challenged international guest visits will cause the industry to reminisce about international visitation peaks in 2006 and 2007," said Bill Jensen, Intrawest Chief Executive Officer. "The 2010 Winter Olympics returning to North America (Vancouver/Whistler) will generate global aspirations for U.S./Canada winter vacations in future years."
Bill Marolt, president of the U.S. Skiing and Snowboarding Association, completely agrees. "Media coverage and public awareness of skiing and snowboarding will be increasing over the next year with the excitement of a North American Winter Olympics in Vancouver. This event, coupled with the success of the sport's superstars including Lindsey Vonn, Ted Ligety, Bode Miller, Hannah Teter, Seth Westcott, and Shaun White, among others, will heighten enthusiasm."
The impact of the downturn has some worried that destination resort business will be hurt. Two Colorado leaders acknowledged that, but remained optimistic.
"There is no doubt that the travel and leisure sector is being, and will continue to be, negatively impacted in the short term; and while we have many attributes that differentiate us from other options guests may have, we are not immune to these negative trends," says Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz.
Melanie Mills, president of Colorado Ski Country USA, a resort trade association, says she thinks Colorado will see "a strong year in 2009 with our local and regional markets with some softness in destination and international markets." Some resort owners need to keep watch on their properties from one end of the country to the other. That's certainly the case with the industry's newest power player - CNL Lifetime Company (a Florida-based R.E.I.T.) that owns 13 ski resorts and 8 mountain resort villages in the U.S. and Canada, all leased back to successful operators. CNL acquired Crested Butte, Colo.; Okemo, Vt.; and Sunapee, N.H., late in 2008.
CNL Vice President Steve Rice, while carefully watching other factors, hit on what many others believe to be overriding: "Sliding on snow is a fundamental human thrill popular since pre-historic times, in addition to being a healthful outdoor pursuit and means for family and friends to connect-the sport is not going away, provided we continue to find effective ways to attract and retain new entrants."
The other side of the industry - those companies who manufacture and sell gear and clothing - have their eyes wide open. "This economic climate is a little bit different than we have experienced in the past as it is really a global issue," says David Ingemie, president of SnowSports Industries America, a trade association of manufacturers. "So we are keeping a close look at the situation and the data as it develops. My guess is that we will do okay if we have a normal snow year around the country."
The ski season is still six months out in the Southern Hemisphere, but leaders in that region have chimed in. "Thankfully, historical trends highlighted through SARS, the Iraq war, 9/11, and others, suggest our customers are somewhat more resilient and less risk averse than the average traveler. Not to mention addicted to snow in many cases," said David Ovendale, general manager of New Zealand's NZSki, trade group.
Miguel Purcell, gerente general at Ski Portillo, Chile, is taking a long-range view and is most concerned about the global warming issue. "We consider this to be one of the greatest challenges that we will face in the next 20 years. We are monitoring the situation closely and are doing everything that we can to help reduce the pollution that is producing global warming."
Jack Turner, the inimitable creator of Snow Monsters, whose characters and efforts dominate children's programming at many U.S. resorts, summed it up like this: "There will be major stress and uncertainty in 2009. We sell a product that is expensive, dangerous, inconvenient, and COLD. Those are the good points."
For more details on this news, please visit www.prlog.org.
Tuesday, 30 December 2008Vail, the flagship mountain of Vail Resorts Inc. , has launched a new multimedia advertising campaign, created by agency of record Genesis Inc. The launch of the new campaign reflects the evolution of the resort, which is adding more than $2 billion of infrastructure in an effort to enhance awareness of its offerings as a global vacation destination.
The new brand promise "Like nothing on earth" was launched comprehensively both externally and internally. Key to t he launch was The White Book, a 16-page magazine insert. Brand stakeholders and Vail employees have also received The White Book in the form of a notebook as part of an extensive internal campaign. Advertising spreads layed out sideways as 'magazine posters' are running in both lifestyle and ski publications. A 90-second Web film is running on the re-designed home page (http://vail.snow.com/) in addition to a new online banner campaign. All of these vehicles were designed to portray the brand inline with its new promise, setting itself apart from traditional ski and snowboard resort competitors.
"Skiing and snowboarding aren't just sports, they're a way of life - this campaign reflects that," says Graham Button, a Genesis partner. "Genesis approaches brands holistically, aiming to make the campaign as effective inside the company as it is in the marketplace."
"The campaign is an incredibly compelling expression of not only what Vail Mountain is, but who we are and the expectations we set for the experience our guests can anticipate when they visit Vail," added Adam Sutner, Director of Sales and Marketing for Vail Mountain. "It is not only a powerful brand campaign, but also a brand compass that we can use to navigate our business and set ourselves apart from other resorts."
Genesis is also the agency of record for Beaver Creek, and has undertaken a number of other projects for Vail Resorts Inc., including the positioning and identity for Ever Vail(TM), the first proposed LEED certified ski village; Appetite for Life, a natural and organic food initiative; and the launch of the new Vail Resorts Inc. Website.
For more details on this news, please visit www.pr-usa.net.
Monday, 29 December 2008The 2008/2009 ski season may be starting off a bit desultory due to plaguing economic concerns and early season accumulations that have been more liquid than frozen, but Wildcat Mountain is gearing up for one of its busiest seasons of international visitors seen in some time. “This is a positive aspect to the season that can help to stabilize known business volume,” said Group Sales Manager Brian Chamberlain. “Business booked for this season has increased greatly and as a po rtion of our resort’s totals skier visits will now contribute 4 times as many visits as has been seen in previous seasons.”
An integral point of coordinating these international groups, Chamberlain maintains communications with tour operators abroad to plan and book visits up to a year in advance helping to negotiate tickets, rentals, lessons, transportation, and working with area lodging properties to confirm reservations. To be seen as a boost to the overall Mount Washington Valley economy, large school groups will often plan extra activities nightly when not skiing or riding including shopping, movies, ice skating, and dining at area restaurants. In addition, local area ski/snowboard rental companies have been sought, including Bob & Terry’s Ski & Sports Outlet and Great American Ski Renting Company, to assist outfitting groups that Wildcat Mountain may be stretched to accommodate from its own rental department during busier periods in the season. Other residual business includes group transfers (including to and from Boston’s Logan Airport) with White Mountain Transit/Village Trolley and Bennett Transportation of Lovell, ME and in some cases, groups are encouraged to split up a weeks stay skiing and riding at Wildcat Mountain by including one or two days skiing and riding at other valley resorts.
To prepare for the groups, there have been many improvements to our base facilities including renovations to what Wildcat regulars know as the Bobcat Lodge in order to accommodate the increased number of extended international group visits. In addition, the Wildcat Mountain ski school and rental departments have been preparing for the busy season ahead and will welcome the first school group from North Manchester, UK.
As part of the New Hampshire Ski Group USA, a partnership of six major ski areas in the White Mountains National Forest, Wildcat Mountain is represented at many ski and travel shows in Europe, specifically the UK and Ireland, a short seven-hour flight from Boston. "We are making headway with a number of new travel partners," said International Sales and Marketing Consultant Jim Saunderson of the New Hampshire Ski Group USA in a recent email and report documenting his efforts to drive skiers and riders to New Hampshire. "The doom and gloom we are fed on a daily basis by the media about the economy is not reflected by the consumers that we met at the UK Ski Shows."
Wildcat Mountain is a year-round, family-owned business, located 100% within the White Mountain National Forest in Pinkham Notch, NH. It is home to the 75-year-old Wildcat Trail first cut by the Civilian Conservation Corp in 1933 and is renowned for its proximity to Mt. Washington and Tuckerman Ravine.
For more details on this news, please visit www.skiwildcat.com.
Sunday, 28 December 2008Snow capped mountains, alpine scenery, and lively après ski may be the holiday of dreams for many, but a recent study says that treatment for injuries that occur on ski slopes are responsible for a third of all travel insurance claims.
The Paul Rooney Partnership, solicitors who specialise in personal injury and compensation claims, have reported that there is an increase in holiday accident compensation over the winter season, due to the high likelihood of injur y caused by skiing and snowboarding.
The differences in skiing and snowboarding give rise to distinct difference in the injuries picked up by participants of each sport. Skiers are most likely to receive injuries to the knees and thumbs; snowboarders tend to sustain wrist, forearm and ankle injuries. Injured snowboarders tend to fit a pattern of being young men or boys who are beginners and have had a minimal amount of instruction from a qualified instructor (many are 'self taught' or pick up the basics from a friend).
For more details on this news, please visit www.prlog.org.
Saturday, 27 December 2008Plooka has today announced that using a very unscientific method of utilizing Facebook to investigate which is more popular is has come to light that Snowboarding has overtaken skiing in terms of popularity.
Having set-up two groups on Facebook one for Skiing and one for Snowboarding the popular snowsports website Plooka.com just sat back and waited to see what happened. And by measuring number for members could then tell which was more popular - pretty simple stu ff.
Well it seems that snowboarding leaped in to the lead and held out ever since with more than double the numbers than skiing. Keeping a track on progress Frenchie from Plooka was quoted as saying 'perhaps the skiers were out busy skiing?'
So there you have it, proven but then again we still have no idea which is better.
For more details on this news, please visit www.prlog.org.
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