Tag: Ski

13Nov By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Sports Business

World Ski Awards 2024: Val Thorens, LAAX and W Verbier the big winners

The World Ski Awards has revealed the winners of its 12th annual edition. Winners include Europe’s highest ski resort, Val Thorens, which was named the ‘World’s Best Ski Resort’, in recognition of setting the global standard for lift infrastructure, resort facilities and slopeside accommodation. Switzerland’s reputation as a hospitality world-leader was reinforced with victories in two key categories: W Verbier captured ‘World’s Best Ski Hotel’ and Chalet Zermatt Peak claimed ‘World’s Best Ski Chalet’. In the newcomer categories, Japan’s MUWA NISEKO fought off entrants in Aspen and St. Moritz to take the title for ‘World's Best New Ski Hotel’. Méribel’s Chalet Harmony – offering a rare blend of luxury, privacy and proximity to the slopes and resort centre – was named ‘World’s Best N...

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2Nov By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Guides

Courmayeur Mont Blanc set for 2024-2025 ski season 

Courmayeur Mont Blanc, nestled in the heart of the Italian Alps, will launch its eagerly awaited 2024-2025 ski season on 5 December 2024.  A charming ski resort boasting a rich calendar of events set against a backdrop of breathtaking snow-capped mountains, Courmayeur is an ideal destination for sports travellers in search of adventure and outdoor experiences. Activities in Courmayeur include heliskiing, off-piste and cross-country skiing, ice skating, fat biking in the scenic Val Ferret, hiking, dog sledding, snowshoeing, and climbing. The Italian ski resort is conveniently accessible from major international airports in Geneva, Turin, and Milan. With more than 43km of pistes and elevations approaching 2,800 metres, it features enticing ski packages from top tour operators like Mom...

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20Oct By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Guides

Portes du Soleil: a winter sports travel guide

The 2024-2025 winter sports season marks a monumental milestone for the Portes du Soleil, as it celebrates its 60th anniversary. Nestled between Lake Geneva and Mont Blanc, just an hour from Geneva, the Portes du Soleil remains one of the largest and most celebrated ski areas in the world. Spanning the Franco-Swiss border, the ski paradise boasts 12 resorts, offering skiers and snowboarders the unique opportunity to glide seamlessly between France and Switzerland.  All 12 resorts in the Portes du Soleil can be easily accessed from Geneva Airport. A six-day lift pass for the Portes du Soleil area is priced from €336 for adults, €252 for children and €302 for seniors (web prices, until 28 March 2025). See more at portesdusoleil.com   Portes du Soleil: the 12 resorts  Avoriaz (Fran...

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15Sep By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business

Snomad Ski Resort Awards 2024: Lech Zürs named best overall ski resort

Lech Zürs, located in Austria's Arlberg region, has been named the best overall ski resort in the inaugural Snomad Ski Resort Awards. Launched during the 2023-2024 winter season, ski resort comparison website Snomad currently has 1,204 ski resorts listed on its website, with more than 78,800 community-led ratings built up over one winter season. Using data from its website, Snomad created 20 award categories with the top three ski resorts in each, then awarded gold to the resort with the highest rating. This meant the awards were “truly impartial”, according to the company.  One of the primary aims of Snomad is to create an engaged community of skiers and snowboarders supporting each other to find resorts and hidden gems, based on the factors that are important to them, with data ac...

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1Sep By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Holidays & Trips

Action Outdoors launches 2024-2025 UCPA skiing holidays for 18-30s

Action Outdoors, the UK arm of not-for-profit French organisation UCPA, has launched an expanded programme of ski and snowboard holidays for young people for the 2024-2025 winter sport season. Like all of its holidays, the emphasis is on all-inclusive value for money in UCPA centres in some of the top French ski resorts including Val d'Isère, Val Thorens and Les Arcs. There’s now more than 300 holidays across the winter that are specifically for the 18-30 age group, with 18-25s benefiting from even further discounting on price. All 18-30 Club Exclusive holidays mean the centres are blocked off exclusively for that age group. Prices start at £541pp (18-25s) and £551pp (18-30 Club Exclusive weeks), including seven nights’ full-board accommodation with breakfast, lunch and dinner, full...

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10Aug By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Editor's Pick, Guides

Les 3 Vallées: a winter sports travel guide 

Les 3 Vallées, nestled in the French Alps, is the largest interconnected ski area in the world, encompassing seven resorts: Courchevel, Méribel, Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, Les Menuires, Val Thorens, Orelle, and Brides-les-Bains. Renowned for its stunning landscapes, diverse ski terrains, and luxurious accommodations, Les 3 Vallées is a paradise for winter sports enthusiasts. Main image: Courchevel (credit: Les 3 Vallées/Alexis Brot)  Top resorts in Les 3 Vallées Courchevel Overview: Courchevel is the most prestigious resort in Les 3 Vallées, known for its upscale hotels, MICHELIN-starred restaurants, and high-end shopping. It’s composed of four villages, each at different altitudes, with Courchevel 1850 being the most glamorous. Sports appeal: The resort offers access to ...

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2Dec By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Holidays & Trips

London to Innsbruck by train: rail in style to the ‘Capital of the Alps’

With an international train station in the heart of the alpine city, Innsbruck provides a unique opportunity for winter sports enthusiasts to travel by rail. Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof train station is a hub for major European rail routes, enabling visitors from London St Pancras to be in the “Capital of the Alps” in approximately 12 hours, depending on the route. From there the benefit of connectivity continues, with access to Innsbruck’s 13 ski resorts, all linked-up by free public transport through one ticket, with the Ski plus CITY Pass Stubai-Innsbruck. This includes Kühtai, the highest ski village in Austria, as well as Mutteralm, the family mountain in the picturesque village of Mutters, and Innsbruck’s own ski mountain, Nordkette, with incredible views of the cityscape from th...

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28Nov By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Holidays & Trips

Winter in Trentino, Italy: 2023-2024 ski resort openings and new facilities

Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, the region of Trentino provides the perfect winter escape for travellers seeking an authentic Italian alpine experience. This season the region, which at this time of the year is recognised for its interconnected pistes and beautiful scenery, has revealed several world-class additions to its facilities and infrastructure. Ski resorts: early opening Following a flurry of early November snow, ski resorts in Trentino are now anticipating an earlier-than-expected opening to their slopes. The popular resorts of Madonna di Campiglio in the Trentino Dolomites, Presena Glacier-Tonale (Val di Sole), Val di Fiemme and Paganella plan to open early while all remaining resorts will open in December. Updated ski resort facilities The Trentino region has ...

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30Oct By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Enjoy Tatras, Holidays & Trips

Your invitation to winter in Slovakia’s Tatras region

Ryanair now flies to the Tatras Mountains Great news for ski-loving families looking for amazing winter sports holidays at amazing prices. Ryanair, one of Europe's premier airlines, has launched a brand new route between Poprad and London starting from 1 November 2023, further connecting Slovakia and the UK. The carrier will operate four weekly flights between Poprad-Tatry Airport and London Stansted, making it easier and cheaper than ever to take your family on a dream ski holiday. Ryanair will now join Wizz Air as the two major airlines flying to Poprad from the UK.  World-class skiing in the Tatras and Liptov region Slovakia's Tatras and Liptov region offers world-class ski infrastructure, terrain and après-ski to rival the western Alps, while also being exceptional value...

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2024 City Ski Challenge, Crans-Montana

The City Ski Challenge will take place in the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana from 2-4 February 2024. Incorporating the City Ski Championships, organisers Momentum have created the new event to encourage a more diverse experience for all levels of skier.  Located in Crans-Montana for the third year running, the event will continue to hold its giant slalom race on the World Cup track, but new categories for novice skiers have been introduced. Away from the racing, there’s also a chance for participants to experience introduction to ski touring, snowshoeing, dog sledding, curling and ski race instruction from top coaches.  Amin Momen, managing director of Momentum, said: “After 23 years, to ensure the event’s continued success and further growth, it is evolving to remain salient to i...

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10Sep By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Travel

Lonely Planet releases new ‘Epic Snow Adventures of the World’ book

Guidebook publisher Lonely Planet has released a new travel-inspired lifestyle book – “Epic Snow Adventures of the World” – which reveals 50 incredible stories from Olympians and athletes to inspire a lifetime of snowy challenges.  The collection features some of the world's most thrilling wintery adventures, including:  powder-hunting in Hokkaido a deep freeze dip in Finlandskate-skiing in Canadafat-biking in the Rockiesback-country boardingSub-Saharan skiingmushing through the Andesan Alpine odyssey in Australiaice-climbing in Coloradoheli-skiing in Alaska ice-skating in New Yorksnow safari in Yellowstone  There are also first-person accounts from legendary winter sports stars such as Jonny Moseley (Olympic gold medalist freestyle skier), Sage Kotsenburg (Olympic gold ...

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15Aug By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Holidays & Trips

Backcountry ski tourism surges in Afghanistan and Iraq

There has been a boom in people taking up backcountry skiing, according to adventure travel company Untamed Borders, with tourists increasingly seeking wilder, more obscure and more remote locations to ski, including the likes of Afghanistan and Iraq. Untamed Borders has run ski trips to Afghanistan since 2011 and Iraq since 2017, but there has been a noticeable trend post-pandemic of more people seeking virgin ski routes. Sales of backcountry skis increased by 81% in 2020, according to Snowsports Industries America, and the sector has continued to be buoyant since – with backcountry snowboard sales also spiking by 146%. As countries opened up after lockdown, that new wave of interest in the sport translated into people seeking new destinations to ski in and increasingly travelli...

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27Jul By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Holidays & Trips, Sports Travel

Ski Club of Great Britain launches Freshtracks holidays for winter 2023-2024

The Ski Club of Great Britain has launched its Freshtracks holiday programme for winter 2023-2024 with a number of new destinations, courses and chalets across the Alps, North America and Japan. Designed to make the most out of the time on the mountain, Freshtracks holidays are tailored to ski ability levels that are then categorised as on or off-piste, as well as four further categories including All Mountain, Ski Touring, Weekend and Bucket List. Holidays are suitable for all levels of skier and snowboarder, from a minimum of an early intermediate (confident on blue runs and easy reds), right up to experts that can handle all conditions both on and off-piste. Key to the success and popularity of Freshtracks holidays is being able to ski with like-minded people, with guides and ins...

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23May By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Holidays & Trips, Sports Travel

Untamed Borders: ski tourism returns to Afghanistan

Ski tourists have returned to Afghanistan for the first time under the new Taliban government. According to adventure travel company Untamed Borders, which was the first company to lead ski excursions to Afghanistan back in 2011, skiing in the country is at the sharp end of a growing trend that sees people taking to the slopes in destinations not famous for ski tourism. Iraq, Lebanon, Iran, Tajikistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan are other destinations which Untamed Borders also operates in.  Over the spring the annual Afghan Peaks Ski Race took place, a backcountry ski race in the country’s Bamian Province. It was the first opportunity for visitors to take to the Afghan slopes since the nation returned to Taliban rule. An international group flew out to the area for the competition w...

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30Oct By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Guides, Sports Travel

Ski travel book: Around The World in 50 Slopes by Patrick Thorne

The new book from veteran snow travel writer Patrick Thorne – Around The World in 50 Slopes – takes skiers on a journey between ski runs located in 30 countries across six continents. Available to buy in bookstores and online, each of the 50 featured slopes includes a fact box and a hand-drawn map which marks each run’s location. Thorne's last book – Powder: The Greatest Ski Runs on the Planet – topped Amazon’s ski-books best-seller list for more than six years. For his new title, he has taken a different approach in choosing his 50 runs. “There are lots of lists online covering the world’s steepest, most challenging runs and it’s normally the usual suspects, but I’m more interested in runs that have a story to them, an added dimension beyond just being great runs,” he said. “In short,...

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6Oct By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Holidays & Trips, Sports Travel

Ski Club of Great Britain announces 2022-2023 Freshtracks holiday schedule

The Ski Club of Great Britain’s Freshtracks holiday programme has fully re-launched for the 2022-2023 season with more than 150 different weeks throughout the winter, starting on 25 November 2022 and running until 1 May 2023. All Freshtracks holidays are designed to bring like-minded skiers together of similar ability levels and many trips are led by qualified mountain guides and ski instructors. Holidays are popular with solo travellers with many trips sold on a single occupancy basis. There’s a programme dedicated to those skiers over the age of 60 – Peak Experience – that attracts enthusiasts well into their 70s and sometimes beyond, plus one of the largest choices of off-piste and ski touring holidays on the UK market. But there’s also opportunities for skiers to improve their tech...

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6Oct By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Holidays & Trips, Sports Travel

Skiing in Austria: 11 reasons to hit the slopes this winter 

From snow-sure slopes to the world-famous Kaiserschmarren, Austria is one of the best places to ski. Here the team from the Austrian National Tourist Office pick out 11 reasons why you should visit Austria for skiing this winter. 1. Plenty of snow-sure pistes  Snow-guarantee is a crucial factor when choosing a winter destination. And, luckily, the Austrian Alps are blessed with it. Widely recognized as one of the world's most reliable skiing destinations, Austria's top resorts ensure perfectly groomed pistes throughout the classic winter season – and way beyond. Tirol alone has five glaciers, including Zillertal's Hintertux, where you can ski 365 days a year. In Zell am See-Kaprun skiing is on from October to June thanks to the Kitzsteinhorn glacier. And if everything goes wrong, Au...

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24Oct By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Scotland, Sports Business, Sports Travel

Ski instructor marketplace Maison Sport expands to Scotland

Maison Sport, a platform created to connect people with the best independent ski and snowboard instructors, will expand into all major winter sports resorts in Scotland, including Cairngorm Mountain, Glencoe Mountain, Glenshee, Lowther Hills, Nevis Range and The Lecht. Building on success in France, Italy and Switzerland, the expansion will support instructors whose qualifications are recognised across Europe, but will now be unable to work in Europe this winter unless they find a way to obtain a work visa. Each instructor will have gained approval from the local ski resort that they can work alongside other ski schools in the area. Co-founder and CEO Nick Robinson, a former member of the British ski team, said: “Covid-19 and Brexit have undoubtedly hit the ski industry hard, but we...

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14Jun By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Sports Business, Sports Travel

Sport + Travel interview: Holger Gassler, head of markets & events, Tirol Tourist Board

Holger Gassler is head of markets & events at the Tirol Tourist Board in Austria. He grew up in the Alpine village of Nassereith in the Tyrolean “Lake District”, right on the border to Bavaria. Travelling the world for Holger, continues to be a lifelong passion, in order to "learn about new cultures and gain new insights"; he has lived and worked in Chicago and Melbourne too. With nearly 20 years' experience under his belt with the Tirol Tourist Board and a passionate sportsman who hikes, mountain bikes, road cycles, swims, skis, ski-tours and dives, we are delighted he has found time to be our next interview guest. Here at Sports Tourism Media we love to cover anything related to Austria, one of Europe's great active, adventure and sports travel destinations and have found the r...

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23Sep By Sports Tourism NewsNo Comments

Holidays & Trips, Sports Business

Sport + Travel Interview: Martina Jamnig – director, Austrian National Tourist Office UK

Martina Jamnig is the director of the Austrian National Tourist Office UK, promoting a country which she describes as a "playground for sport". Originating from Austria’s sunshine state Carinthia, which borders with Italy and Slovenia, adventure sport is in her blood, as is football. As a season ticket holder at Arsenal FC, she plans vacations around the team's playing schedule and has travelled far and wide following the Gunners. Her two main passions, sport and travel, have been a consistent thread throughout her life, both personally and professionally. Examples of this include having worked as a project executive, in close collaboration with Uefa, for the Euro 2008 football championship. She also volunteered at the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics, where she worked with fo...

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