Category: Technology

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Emma, the World’s First Digital Mountain Assistant, Kicks Off the 2018-19 Winter Season in Beta at Keystone Ski Resort

A groomed run in Vail Mountain. Photo- Jack Affleck. Vail Resorts Commits to $175 Million to $180 Million in Capital Investments to Reimagine the Guest Experience for the 2019-20 Season

Emma, the World’s First Digital Mountain Assistant, Kicks Off the 2018-19 Winter Season in Beta at Keystone Ski Resort

– Emma, a first generation technology, offers guests real-time information on everything from snow conditions and parking to rentals and personal performance stats

– Designed to get smarter the more she interacts with guests, Emma is launching first at Keystone to take advantage of the early ski season

– To interact with Emma, guests at Keystone can text her at 77477  

Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN) announced yesterday that Emma, the world’s first digital mountain assistant, has begun her inaugural winter season, launching in beta at Keystone Ski Resort in Colorado, which opened ahead of schedule this week. Emma is using the early season to better understand how guests ask questions while at the resort and will launch at eight additional ski resorts later this season: Vail, Beaver Creek and Breckenridge in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in Tahoe; and Whistler Blackcomb in Canada.

Through simple text messaging, Emma (your Epic Mountain Assistant) offers guests real-time information on everything from snow conditions, parking and personal performance stats to recommendations on rentals, lessons and dining options. This first generation technology uses artificial intelligence (AI) through natural language processing (NLP) to answer questions, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through short message service (SMS) text. As Emma interacts with guests, she will get smarter, expanding her knowledge base and insight throughout the season.

Emma, the World's First Digital Mountain Assistant, Kicks Off the 2018-19 Winter Season in Beta at Keystone Ski Resort (PRNewsfoto/Vail Resorts, Inc.)
Emma, the World’s First Digital Mountain Assistant, Kicks Off the 2018-19 Winter Season in Beta at Keystone Ski Resort (PRNewsfoto/Vail Resorts, Inc.)

“We are excited for Emma to launch in beta at Keystone. The earlier Emma can interact with guests on a variety of topics, the faster she will learn and adjust to guest preferences,” said Kirsten Lynch, chief marketing officer for Vail Resorts. “Emma is the world’s first digital mountain assistant and continues a decade of pioneering technological firsts from Vail Resorts to enhance the guest experience.”

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What’s new for the 2018/19-ski season at Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn – the home of Lässig.

Alpine skiing at the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn. The skiers will not be affected because of the World Cup. Ski World Cup: Saalbach is in the Starting Gates

Read on to see what is new for the 2018/19 ski season at Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn- the home of Lässig. 

The Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn is one of the largest ski areas in Austria with 270 km of pistes, of which 140 km are blue runs for beginners, 112 km red runs for intermediates and 18 km of black runs for more advanced. This added to 70 lifts and more than 60 cosy mountain huts, various Snowparks, flood-lit pistes, toboggan runs and a Freeride Park.

Familiy at the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn-
Familiy at the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn-

New in winter 2018/19

Every summer the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn undertakes investments to make the ski area more efficient.

This summer 2018 these projects were undertaken:

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Launch of the new SCHILTHORN 20XX cableway project

The planned aerial shuttle cableway consists of 3 sections with 2 cabins each (Stechelberg – Mürren – Birg – Schilthorn). Its distinguishing feature is the replacement of the existing transport cableway from Stechelberg to Mürren by a new shuttle cableway as the 1st section, thus eliminating the need for a changeover.

Around 50 years after access to the Schilthorn – Piz Gloria was opened up by cable car, Schilthorn Cableway Ltd has presented the new project SCHILTHORN 20XX. The idea behind it is to replace the current cable car with a new aerial cableway. Based on the existing buildings and lines, the new infrastructure and cableway will ensure public transport connections to and from Gimmelwald and Mürren and optimize access to the Schilthorn – Piz Gloria excursion peak.

A model image of how the Schilthorn 20XX project will look like. Schilthorn 20XX.
A model image of how the Schilthorn 20XX project will look like. Schilthorn 20XX.

The current aerial cableway dates from 1965 (linking Stechelberg – Gimmelwald – Mürren – Birg) and 1967 (Birg – Schilthorn). While many electromechanical components have been continuously replaced, the structural infrastructure remains largely in its original state. The 2016 – 2026 financial plan includes age-related measures on the aerial cableway, which are due to be implemented in the next few years to comply with existing regulations. The cableway has also comprehensively exhausted its capacity reserves. Today, the 100-passenger cabins can only carry a maximum of 80 passengers, due to increasing space requirements (passengers now weigh more on average; rising transport volumes of equipment for leisure activities etc.) At the same time, passenger numbers have risen both in summer and winter in recent years.

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Leitner presents the “Matterhorn Glacier Ride” the world’s highest cablecar, located in Zermatt designed by Pininfarina and showcasing Swarovski crystals.

The Matterhorn Glacier Ride. German innovation award for Zermatt 3s cabins.

Zermatt’s latest attraction, the “Matterhorn glacier ride”, is set to open at the end of September. The world’s highest 3S cableway, combining the ultimate in design sophistication with maximum comfort, will serve Europe’s highest cableway station. The new 3S cable car ride built by LEITNER ropeways will enable visitors to reach the Klein Matterhorn, a popular destination for excursions, 365 days a year. The making of the “Matterhorn glacier ride” is a story as extraordinary as the ride itself. A total of 38 companies from Switzerland and Italy have been involved in Zermatt Bergbahnen AG’s largest-ever construction project. With the project due to be completed in an incredible 600 working days, they are turning the vision of the “Matterhorn glacier ride” into reality.  Zermatt Bergbahnen AG and LEITNER ropeways worked together with Swarovski to produce a very special premium product: a state-of-the-art ropeway technology in Pininfarina design meets premium crystal finishing, and provides an as-yet unrivalled level of finishing and design.

The station for the 3s Bahn that will ride to the Klein Matterhorn. Zermatt Bergbahnen. Zermatt Tourism Office.
The station for the 3s Bahn that will ride to the Klein Matterhorn. Zermatt Bergbahnen. Zermatt Tourism Office.

Europe’s highest construction site

145 people from 38 different companies have been involved in the biggest construction project in the history of Zermatt Bergbahnen AG. From September 2018, the 3S (three-cable system) cableway will transport up to 2000 passengers an hour to Matterhorn glacier paradise (Klein Matterhorn) – 365 days a year.

The Klein Matterhorn usually has daytime temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees, wind speeds reaching 240 km/h, heavy snow and dense fog.

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Jungfrau V-bahn railway project gets green light overcoming opposition

Jungfrau v-bahn railway project gets green light.

The controversial Jungfrau V-bahn railway project gets green light overcoming opposition.

The Federal Office of Transport has approved a CHF400 million ($405 million) mountain railway project that will carry tourists faster up to the Jungfraujoch in the Bernese Alps. The project has been modified to appease local opponents who had raised environmental and aesthetic concerns.

At the heart of the controversial plan is a V-shaped cable car route that would allow more tourists to swiftly reach the Eiger Glacier station from where they can take the mountain railways to the Jungfraujoch “Top of Europe” tourist station.

Photomontage of the possible new situation in the ground in Grindelwald. Left the new Männlichenbahn, right the Eiger Express and the parking garage. Both planned new buildings are marketed under the name V project
Photomontage of the possible new situation in the ground in Grindelwald. Left the new Männlichenbahn, right the Eiger Express and the parking garage. Both planned new buildings are marketed under the name V project.

Local authorities and residents of the Bernese Alps feared the “Eiger express” line, which would start from the village of Grindelwald, would disfigure the landscape. Seventeen objections were made but advocates gave up the fight in February accepting in exchange a donation for a good cause.

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Vail Resorts Introduces Emma, Your Epic Mountain Assistant.

Powder Skiing in Back Bowls In Vail, CO. Photo: Vail Resorts. The Must-Read Guide to Vail.

– Emma, Your Epic Mountain Assistant, is the world’s first digital mountain assistant to offer information on everything from grooming, lift line wait times and parking to recommendations on rentals, lessons and dining options.
– Guests will instantly receive expert, local information tailored to each resort and to their needs.
– Emma builds on the Company’s long track record of seamlessly using technology to improve the guest experience without impacting their connection to the outdoors.

The Vail Village is where Vail Resorts started many years ago. Vail Resorts. Vail Mountain. Emma, Your Epic Mountain Assistant uses AI to answer all your questions.
The Vail Village is where Vail Resorts started many years ago.



Booking.com

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