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

Marketing

Why superheroes don’t guarantee super marketing…

by iain on Apr 1, 2015 • No Comments

You’d think Spiderman would be a super-heroic way to sell, but take a look at this forlorn Spidey we recently noticed tramping the streets of Brighton: Great idea, poorly executed On the face of it, it’s a great idea: it certainly gets your attention – the first goal of any marketing. You might even be...

Ideas / Marketing / Mobile / Resorts

Why It’s Not Cool To Make Sexist Snowboards (& six other thoughts)

by iain on Mar 13, 2015 • No Comments

We search the Interweb for the best and latest insights into the world of snowsports so you don’t have to. Here are this week’s seven super snippets: 1. Go Eskimo, Go Nosepost Will you ever control your smartphone with your nose? You will if you download the Nosepost app. This amusing video explains how...

Ideas

Was Channel 4’s ‘The Jump’ fixed?

by iain on Mar 6, 2015 • No Comments

It’s been a month now since the second season of ‘The Jump’ on Channel 4 finished, and how we miss it. But was there trouble in paradise? More viewers, fewer injuries It’s fair to say that it was a success. Viewing figures were up and the consensus was that it was a big improvement, thanks to more...

Ideas / Mobile

The 10 Best Apps You’ve (Probably) Never Heard Of

by iain on Mar 5, 2015 • No Comments

There are now over a million apps available on IoS and Android devices. Only 14% of smartphone users don’t use an app at all on a regular basis, and according to Neilson’s most recent research, the average number of apps used per month is 26.8. So which apps should make it onto your phone?...

Resorts

La Plagne tops the French ski resort charts

by iain on Mar 2, 2015 • No Comments

Recent research from Montagne Leaders has shown that La Plagne is the leading ski resort in France, ranked by skier days. It’s one of only two resorts posting over 2 million skier days, together with its Paradiski partner resorts, Les Arcs & Peisey Vallandry. The Top 10 French Ski Resort (by total skier days) La...

Resorts

The Top Ten Fastest Growing French Ski Resorts

by iain on Mar 2, 2015 • No Comments

Montagne Leaders have recently launched their latest look at the French ski industry, analysing all the data from the 2013/14 winter season. Among the many statistics available, one of the more interesting was an insight into those resort that are reversing the trend and are growing fast. The Fastest Growing French Ski Resorts The following...

Newer Older