Where to Ski And Snowboard - Ski tour ops unite to back hosting appeal

Ski tour ops unite to back hosting appeal

7th March 2013, by Abi Butcher

The appeal states that familiarisation tours of each resort are important for customers

British tour operators have united to fight against last month’s ruling that ski hosting is illegal in France.

Following the ruling in Albertville on 21 February, tour operator Le Ski made a formal appeal in Chambery on 25 February.

Last week, 12 British tour operators — Alpine Elements, Crystal Ski, Inghams, Le Ski, Mark Warner, Neilson, Ski Esprit, Ski Olympic, Ski Total, Skiworld, Thomson, VIP Ski — met to discuss the way forward for what is now being dubbed “social skiing”.

Crystal Ski spokesman Marion Telsnig told WTSS: “The basis of the [appeal] is that customers are unable to benefit from social skiing service. Customers are extremely supportive. All companies agree that it is something we should fight together as it is an important part of our customer service.”

All 12 companies have currently withdrawn “social skiing” from their programmes until the appeal has been heard. Social skiing is being defined as: “where a representative from the holiday company takes guests on familiarisation tours of the slopes, show them good lunch spots and how to avoid queues. They do not go off-piste. No instruction is given.”

Ski hosting, guiding or “social skiing” is not illegal, nor frowned upon, in the other mainstream European skiing countries of Switzerland, Austria and Italy.