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,...

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Iain

Mount Etna article in ‘Sunday Telegraph’

by iain on Mar 18, 2025 • No Comments

As well as being published online in the travel section of The Telegraph website, Iain’s article about skiing on Mount Etna was published in the print version of the ‘Sunday Telegraph’ on 16 March 2025. Iain travelled to Etna in February 2025 while the volcano was in the midst of the largest eruption for twenty...

Iain

Mount Etna Ski Touring article on The Telegraph

by iain on Mar 12, 2025 • No Comments

Iain’s article on ski touring on Mount Etna in Sicily is now live on The Telegraph website. Iain travelled to Etna in February 2025 while the volcano was in the midst of the largest eruption for twenty years. You can read the article here. It’s a behind a paywall, so I’ll also paste screengrabs lower...

Resorts

French Market Data

by iain on Mar 7, 2025 • No Comments

Some interesting stats have crossed our path in the last week. The UK is the most important overseas market Most relevant for the British snowsports market is that the UK is the most important foreign market (by far) for French ski resorts Source: Domaines Skiables de France 2025 The North America market is growing fast...

Ideas / Resorts

Interview with Luc Reversade (founder of La Folie Douce) for welove2ski.com

by iain on Mar 5, 2025 • No Comments

Earlier this winter, Iain interviewed Luc Reversade, the founder of La Folie Douce empire, at his original venue in Val d’Isère. Iain asked Luc about what inspired him to launch the ‘Clubbing at Altitude’ concept and about the success of La Folie Douce. You can read the article here.

Iain / Resorts

European Sleeper article for Flight Free UK

by iain on Feb 17, 2025 • No Comments

Iain recently travelled to the 3 Zinnen ski area in South Tyrol, Italy on the European Sleeper. His article on the trip – which took him through six countries – has now been published on Flight Free UK. You can also find about more about Iain’s trip in Episode 237 of The Ski Podcast: Iain...

Iain / Ideas / Resorts

Chamonix article for welove2ski

by iain on Feb 14, 2025 • No Comments

In January 2025, Iain travelled to Chamonix. His article on Montenvers and the impact of climate change on the Mer de Glace is now live on welove2ski.com. You can also watch Iain’s video about his visit here:

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