What Will Happen to the English Consumers of the French Mountains after March 29?
From Filièresport
Like most economic sectors, the French mountain wonders and prepares for a possible exit of Europe from Great Britain on March 29th where the British clientele is the first foreign clientele of the French resorts.
Hard, soft, soft … In recent weeks we use almost as many qualifiers to imagine the Brexit as to distinguish the quality of the fresh snow fallen in abundance in the resorts. Brexit hard, plan B or postponement of the exit, what kind of agreement on the withdrawal will be finally endorsed? Like the press releases issued in January by Matignon and Medef, the French economy is getting organized to prepare for the worst.
Many sectors are concerned about the financial consequences of this divorce. Starting with tourism and especially the French mountains where 9% of skier days are sold to British (DSF figures), a percentage which is multiplied up to 4 or 5 in some resorts! “Great Britain has about 1.2 million skiers and France is number 1 with 33.5% of the market,” says Jean-Marc Silva, General Manager of France Montagnes.
A clientele that could be cooled, at least in the first time, if the re-establishment of the borders was adopted (Hard Brexit) and the time to the customs and the formalities of passage lengthened.
Benoit Tavernier, member of Intersport, Morzine, Avoriaz, and Les Gets and owner of a cottage rented to an English company, is in the first lodges in the French mountains. ” We are one of the first passenger destinations for London / Geneva flights. There is a very large British community, of customers and residents partly in the year. They are mostly against Brexit. The rules of the exit which will be negotiated constitute a huge stake for us in the resort. The English are pretty phlegmatic you know. We still feel less careless here on the subject. I did not notice any signs of a drop-in attendance, or any factual evidence suggesting panic. I feel a confidence in the human intelligence. However, it is quite exceptional to see so many uncertainties so close to the date. That makes me think of the bug announced in the year 2000. Wait & See “he explains.
“The 18/19 season is assured, notes Martine Achard, in charge of international markets at France Montagne. But the next season is now decided for tour operators and at the end of Grand Ski, everything is still unclear. Uncertainty creates more timely choices. “
Tour Operators & Catered Chalets, English Habits
British specificity due in particular to the insularity and its national currency, “2/3 of the British skiers reserve their stay in intermediation thus via a tour operator” specifies Jean-Marc Silva. A positive point probably for these foreign tourists who see a possibly more complex organization partly supported by their TO.
On the other hand, another peculiarity, the English are fond of offers “Catered Chalets” ie cottages with services, “the staff was under English contract with attractive salaries compared to the French social law and it will not be possible in case of Brexit “. Several options are possible depending on whether there is a withdrawal agreement or not. The Irish and Irish passport holders, therefore European citizens, should be quite sought after for these service trades.
An Adaptation of their Consumption Vs a Postponement of Stay
What about the purchasing power of this important clientele who will also find themselves faced with an expected devaluation of the book? “We lived this already in the 2000s, recalls Jean-Marc Silva. The book had lost 20% but the English show a great ability to adapt in their consumption without depriving themselves of their stay in the mountains. “
While waiting for the outcome of this announced Brexit, a 100% digital campaign is currently being conducted in England, as well as in Belgium and Holland, for families, Millenials and Dink (Double Income no Kids). ” This campaign with Auvergne-Rhône Alpes, Atout France, Savoie Mont Blanc, Isère Tourism and Easyjet amounts to almost € 500,000. “Says Jean-Marc Silva who wants to be confident. “The British love our destination deeply. “
More Info: Filièresport
The-Ski-Guru TRAVEL can organise your bespoke ski trip to the Americas, Alps or Japan, including for those going from Britain to Europe, booking your Eurotunnel trip, and for all trips: lodging, lift tickets, rentals, ski school, and all you need for an excellent vacation. Go to https://www.the-ski-guru.com/travel and upload your information – this page will be updated soon with more travel ideas. Check our February offer for Zermatt staying at the Chalet Zen or Penthouse Zen, our amazing Ski Safari in the Dolomites , stay at the San Lorenzo Lodge White Deer in the Val Pusteria of Sudtirol, in the Hotel Petrus in Riscone, for skiing Kronplatz, or check our Easter offer to Obergurgl-Hochgurgl and Sölden to ski with your family. You can ski to have lunch in the Rifugio Sofie in Seceda, Val Gardena, in the Dolomites.
You can start thinking about your trip, by reading the articles on the Planning your Ski Trip tab. Or how to pack for your family ski trip. If taking your furry friend abroad to the continent, read about the new Pet Travel Scheme update from DEFRA. Check out our tips for driving to the mountains. If flying and renting a car in Europe, beware of the extra charges they will pass to you if you want winter tyres, snow chains or ski racks. If driving, check the winter tyres news for Europe and North America.
Or you can read our last news on equipment as seen at the London Ski Show. Also, the new range of skis of Black Crows, one of our favourite brands. Shred-Dog is a definitely favourite brand for parents of growing kids. And check the new Mohawk helmet with augmented reality. You can see my review of the Head Nexo Lyt 100 boots for women. A new app, Ski Tracker Pro offers you a one month free download if using a promo code.
We have already covered many news due to this latest spat of snow storms in Europe, as the hotel that was hit by an avalanche of 300 meters of width in Eastern Switzerland. In the same place, a couple days later, a second avalanche affected the structure of the Säntis Suspension Railway. And two ski patrollers got killed setting avalanche control charges in the French resort of Morillon in the Grand Massif. Also two workers died in Jammu in the Gulmarg in India, when they’ve fallen from a cable car during a mock rescue drill.
Lots of snow makes you wonder how the resorts deal with the avalanche danger. Here you can read the interview to Coco Torres, former Head of Operations of Las Leñas, in Argentina, as how they dealt with avalanches at the resort.
Or perhaps you may choose to read the Ski Resort News, Ski Passes News, and the Must-Read Guides to Lech, Zermatt, Courmayeur, Val di Fiemme and Crans-Montana. Coming soon will be the guide to St Anton. Or watch an amazing heli flight over the Mont Blanc Massif. Also see tips on how not to be scammed when booking a ski chalet.
You can also read what’s new at Les Trois Vallées and the last article on what is new at the Tirol ski areas, in Les 2 Alpes, in Cervinia, in La Plagne, in 3 Zinnen Dolomites , in Adelboden, Lenk and Kandertal, in Gstaad, in Chamonix, in Georgia’s Gudauri Resort and in the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn. And how the US Ski Team has chosen Alpe Cimbra to train for the following four ski seasons as their European home. Here is the link to our post on the My Voucher Codes ranking of best European Ski Resorts.
Crested Butte will have a new chairlift to replace Teocalli lift for the 2019/20 ski season. Jay Peak is officially for sale. Another North American resort, Fortress Mountain Ski Resort, is eyeing in opening by 2020.
You can plan where to eat in Aspen Snowmass or which events to attend on-mountain while there. And Cortina D’Ampezzo is getting ready for this winter and the 2021 World Ski Championships.
Another classic resort, such as St Moritz has been in the news for its famous Cresta Run be opened again for women after a 89 years ban.
Also, you can read how Grandvalira will be staying together as one lift ticket company and how they are adding Ordino Arcalis to this offer. Grandvalira is opening now all of its six sectors. And also read how someone tried to sabotage some lifts in Vallnord’s Pal Arinsal. And as if it is starting to be a trend, there were two lifts sabotaged in Passo Rolle, in Val di Fiemme, Trentino. Fortunately they were repaired in record time to open to the public. It seems also that the deadly fire in a Courchevel employee housing building was arson. Uber has launched its service UberSki in some resorts in France, after having done so in the United States.
Also, Mt Hood Meadows was forced to evacuate one lift with 150 skiers and boarders due to a power failure. And the same was the case in a lift with 140 skiers/boarders in Whitefish, Montana. A last one to report was now in Stowe, VT, with more than 150 stuck skiers and boarders that have to wait up to two and a half hours to offload. Cervinia sent a helicopter to rescue 27 in a chairlift. Recently a British skier was killed after suffering a cardiac arrest on a chairlift falling 32 feet to the ground in Méribel resort in Les Trois Vallées. You can see our recent article on how avalanches claimed two lives in Switzerland the past week. And read more what is the real risk of avalanches. Three Germans have been killed by an avalanche near Lech and a fourth is missing. Two were caught in an inbounds avalanche near Kachina Peak in Taos and taken to hospital. 7 were killed as a helicopter and a light aircraft crashed over the Ruitor Glacier near la Thuile in the Italian Alps. Two were killed by an avalanche in St Christoph-en-Oisans in the French Alps. And another one was killed and three injured in an in-bounds avalanche in Crans-Montana.
Or read about the latest investments in Whistler Blackcomb. Or see how Taos is going against the industry trend, and instead of merging with the two biggest oligopolies in skiing at the moment, it goes and buys an airline to get more bums in resort. Or how Jackson Hole is appealing to families and beginners – it is not only a resort for expert skiers anymore. Another great area for families is Stubaital in the Tirol. And a new coming ski area that got funding for its first lift is Skeetawk in Alaska. Courmayeur is opening this season two new trails, one that is 70% steep – not for the faint-hearted! Or read how a group of experienced industry insiders got together to purchase Tamarack Resort and now they’ve started with their major facelift operations. . And how Peak Resorts finalised the acquisition of the resorts of Snow Time. You can also check how Vermont’s ski passes are the most expensive in New England. And talking about Vermont, you can read on how Killington is planning to change its North Ridge triple chair with a fixed-gripped quad.
Also read how one employee of Aspen Ski Co got caught in an avalanche but got out unscathed while scouting terrain for the Aspen Mountain Powder Tours. Or how the a gondola of the new American Eagle lift from Copper Mountain crashed into the snow in a trial run. The resort confirmed that the chondola will be fixed before it’s opening day. Some gondolas got tangled in Hochzillertal. And there was a gas explosion at the Grand Hotel Zermatterhof that injured six, before its opening date.
You can keep up to date on how are the sales for the EPIC and IKON passes are doing here. Read how Emma, the first Digital Mountain Assistant, is launched in Keystone now and will be rolled to eight other resorts this season. Breckenridge and Keystone are one of the resorts with the longest ski season in the United States. Arapahoe-Basin has detangled from its Epic Pass deal. And even read about the new incorporation to the IKON Pass: Valle Nevado. Here is also a post on the South American resorts.
Or you can see the inspiring story of the “Cholitas” – the indigenous Aymara ladies who are attempting to climb the highest peak of the Americas – the Aconcagua at 6,962 meters/22,840 feet.
Also, Rob Katz and his wife Elana Amsterdam donated 2 million USD in grants to support mental and behavioural health programs in ski towns of North America. And see how Aspen Skiing Company released its sustainability report 2018. And also check Aspen’s Give a Flakecampaign. The Audi Power of Four Mountaineering Race is coming back to Aspen. And the ’12 hours Head NonStop’ is going back to Sierra Nevada.
And here is a summary of a report by LISTEX on the State of the UK Snowsports Market. The US had it first National Learn to Ski and Snowboard Day with 6,200 lessons given. You can check which ones are the most expensive ski resorts in the USA.
And what Switzerland could look by 2060 due to climate change.
Or check out how now with the EPIC Pass you can ski in Europe, specifically in Les Trois Vallées and the resorts of Skirama Dolomiti in Trentino’s Italy. Or see our review of L’Héliopic Hotel Sweet & Spa if thinking in staying in Chamonix this winter. Or check out the new Snowpine Lodge in Alta, Utah opening late January 2019. And for those that thought that skiing in Whistler was only for the rich and famous, now the new Pangea Pod Hotel offers them a chance to stay in the cheap in the new cool hotel in the middle of Whistler Village. Those going this season to Avoriaz and wanting to be by the slopes, can stay in the pop-up Flying Nest hotel.
Featured Image: Les 3 Vallées in France. What Will Happen to the English Consumers of the French Mountains after March 29?
