Skipedia

The sad demise of the catered chalet ski holiday

by iain on Sep 25, 2023 • 8 Comments

Looking through a recent survey from Le Ski, I was struck by one stat in particular. While it was encouraging to read that the number of UK skiers and snowboarders is predicted to grow by 14% in winter 2023/24, the fact that only 13% stay in catered chalets highlighted how...

Ideas

Will ChatGPT make ‘ski experts’ redundant?

by iain on May 11, 2023 • No Comments

AI (Artificial Intelligence) is changing fast. A few years ago, it was just the name of one of Steven Spielberg’s less good movies, but in 2023 AI has moved from the world of ‘futurologists’ into the mainstream. The chances are that even if you haven’t tried ChatGPT (or Google’s ‘Bard’),...

Iain / Ideas / Tour Operators

‘Parrots in the Snow: the rise and fall of Bladon Lines’ – article in ‘Ski+Board’ magazine

by iain on Mar 8, 2023 • 3 Comments

Iain’s article ‘Parrots in the Snow: the rise and fall of Bladon Lines‘ has now been published in ‘Ski+Board’ magazine. It’s also now available as a special episode of The Ski Podcast My first experience of working in the ski industry came 35 years ago when I went to Chatel...

Iain / Resorts

Ski Touring in Morocco: A Photo Essay

by iain on Feb 8, 2019 • No Comments

Iain from Skipedia recently went ski touring in Morocco. Flying into Marrakech, and then travelling to Imlil (1740m), Iain then spent three nights at the Refuge des Mouflons (3207m), ski touring to different 4000m peaks. Ski hire was from Braemar Mountain Sports, guiding and logistics were organised by Toubkal Guide. You...

Resorts / Tour Operators

‘I’m a modern-day Batman’ says anti-ESF campaigner

by iain on Nov 2, 2014 • No Comments

These are difficult days for the ESF in the UK. The current legal cases against Simon Butler and Le Ski have stirred up plenty of negative sentiment within the British market against the ESF. Both cases – which deal with different aspects of the law – are currently at different...

Tour Operators

Why do chalet girls bake a cake every day?

by iain on Aug 13, 2011 • 2 Comments

Okay, not strictly anything to do with marketing, but just for fun… So why do chalet girls bake a cake every day? As far as I know chalets have always left out a cake for their guests to tuck into for ‘afternoon tea’. After a long day on the slopes,...

Latest entries

Tour Operators

Iglu sold to Flight Centres in £100m Deal

by iain on Dec 11, 2025 • No Comments

Flight Centre Travel has completed the acquisition of the UK-based online cruise and ski specialist Iglu, in a deal worth up to £100 million plus performance-related earnout. Iglu was founded in 1998 by Richard Downs and has grown into one of Europe’s leading online retailers for cruise and ski holidays. According to an statement made...

podcast

How to carry skis properly…

by iain on Dec 3, 2025 • No Comments

In this recent video, Iain and Al from The Ski Podcast explain how to carry skis…without taking anyone eyes out and while looking ‘cool’. There’s many wrong ways to carry your skis, but there’s only one right way to carry your skis: that’s to have them over your shoulder with the tips facing forward. The...

Ideas / Resorts

Zermatt considering construction of 260m skyscraper

by iain on Nov 11, 2025 • No Comments

A bold proposal to build a 260-metre-high accommodation block at the foot of the Matterhorn has stirred debate in the traditional resort of Zermatt in Switzerland. Local hotelier Heinz Julen, known for his avant-garde architecture in the resort, has unveiled plans for a skyscraper named ‘Lina Peak’ at a cost of around 500 million Swiss...

Branding

M&S launches first ski collection

by iain on Nov 8, 2025 • No Comments

Marks & Spencer has broken new ground and launched its first ski collection. The looks are pretty clean, with a hint of vintage and the prices are definitely good.

Events

Swedish cross-country skiers secure controversial Ozempic sponsorship deal

by iain on Nov 4, 2025 • No Comments

The Swedish national cross-country skiing team has confirmed it has agreed a controversial sponsorship deal with pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk, known for its weight-loss drug Ozempic. The move has sparked debate among some athletes and observers, principally because the sport of cross-country has had a history of weight-related issues and eating disorders among competitors. The...

Marketing / podcast

Intersport Discount Code 2025/26

by iain on Oct 27, 2025 • No Comments

Use the Intersport discount code ‘SKIPODCAST’ to save on ski hire in France, Austria and Switzerland.

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