2012 snowsports analysis - Ski Club of Great Britain
Transcription
2012 snowsports analysis - Ski Club of Great Britain
2012 SNOWSPORTS ANALYSIS skiclub.co.uk | [email protected] SNOWSPORT ENGLAND WELCOME TO THE 2012 SNOWSPORTS ANALYSIS COMPILED BY THE SKI CLUB OF GREAT BRITAIN, FEATURING DATA AND INFORMATION FROM SNOWSPORT ENGLAND. THE SNOWSPORTS ANALYSIS PROFILE OTHER DATA SOURCES USED • Snowsport England Domestic Snowsport Report 2011 • Scottish skier days 2011-12, from individual Scottish resorts • Crystal Ski Industry Report 2012 • Eurostar ski train passenger figures 2011-12 • Sport England – Trends in your sport Jan 2011, Active People survey (APS) 2011/12 and Snowsport England Facility Survey July/August 2012 • SPIKE’s SkiBase Survey 2012. The survey was distributed to UK skiers between October 2011 and January 2012. Data was collected from 18,000 people • Independent and unbiased • Shows comparative data from the last five seasons • Uses data from both large and smaller independent tour operators • Is ideal for market planning and industry comment • Published by the independent, not-for-profit organisation, The Ski Club of Great Britain • Includes figures and information from Snowsport England • Charts using Ski Club research are marked ‘Ski Club data’. Charts using Snowsport England’s research are marked ‘Snowsport England data’ THE SNOWSPORTS MARKET OVERVIEW • The overall snowsports travel market suffered again during the 11/12 season, making it the fourth year in a row that we have seen decline. However, this is the smallest percentage drop in the last seven seasons. • The rate of decline has slowed significantly. For the 09/10 season the decline was 12%, while for 11/12 it only dropped by 1.5%. • The percentage market share of people travelling with a tour operator remained the same year-on-year. CONTENTS This report aims to give an unbiased overview of the UK snowsports market using empirical research from UK tour operators combined with a variety of other third-party sources. The Ski Club has teamed up with Snowsport England for this analysis, including figures and information supplied by them. Snowsport England is the governing body for English skiers and snowboarders, and is recognised by Sport England, the SRA (Sport and Recreational Alliance) and the British Olympics Association. Photo credit: vanessafry.com The total snowsports market Buying a snowsports holiday Average cost of a snowsports holiday Snowsports holiday breakdown Transport Countries and resorts Disciplines Gender Domestic snowsports Comments from Snowsport England GO SKI GO BOARD Snowsports for those with a disability Looking forward Participation within England British talent for the Olympics Snowsport England The Ski Club of Great Britain 03 04 05 06 07 08 10 12 14 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 “Skiers” and “skiing” are used as a generic terms for skiing and snowboarding in this analysis. • Despite the overall drop in the market, some companies reported an increase in passengers for the 11/12 season. (which it did so in spades!) The superb snow conditions across most of Europe lasted throughout the season and continued to entice people to the slopes. • Holiday dates were more favourable than the 10/11 season. Despite Christmas and New Year falling on a Sunday and disrupting some weekend arrivals, an earlier Easter combined with good snow conditions meant sales for the second half of the season were stronger than the previous year. • According to Sport England’s ‘Trends in your sport’, interest levels in snowsports remained equal, but participation became WHY HAVE WE SEEN THESE CHANGES? • The on-going economic uncertainty in the UK meant consumers were still cautious about taking holidays – especially first-time skiers and snowboarders who may have been more reluctant to commit to the spend. • Despite a slow start to the season, with regards to snowfall and bookings, there was a dramatic rise in interest and holiday sales when the snow finally began to fall more irregular. This could have been due to the fact that some skiers cut out their second or third snowsports trip while in previous seasons they participated more frequently. This may account for the continued (although slower) decline in the market. • Although we have seen a drop in the overall numbers of people skiing, the market has shown resilience. A dedicated base of mature, experienced skiers and snowboarders seem to be unwilling to forego their wintersports holiday. TOTAL SNOWSPORTS TRAVEL MARKET 2007-2012 Independent travel Tour operator 2011/12 201,000 855,000 1,056,000 2010/11 204,000 868,000 1,072,000 2009/10 224,000 896,000 1,120,000 2008/9 274,000 998,000 1,272,000 2007/8 316,000 1,037,000 1,353,000 -1.5% -4.3% -12.0% -6.0% Ski Club data 3 BUYING A SNOWSPORTS HOLIDAY THE AVERAGE COST OF A SNOWSPORTS HOLIDAY HOW HOLIDAYS WERE PURCHASED • The average cost of a snowsports holiday increased for the fifth season in a row. • Phone remained the dominant booking method for a snowsports holiday, holding just under 50% market share. It has remained at 47% since the 07/08 season. • Despite the average holiday cost reaching its highest level since the millennium, there were still great deals available. • Online booking again saw small growth in market share as more people chose to both research and book holidays online. Improvement in some operators’ online booking capabilities may have also contributed to the increase. 27% 5% 1% 2010/11 47% 20% 26% 6% 1% 2009/10 47% 21% 25% 6% 1% 2008/9 47% 21% 23% 8% 1% 2007/8 47% 22% 21% Phone Ski Club data 4 Ski agency Online High Street 9% • According to data from the Spike Marketing SkiBase survey, there was almost a 50:50 split between those intending to spend less than £500 and those intending to spend more than £500 on their winter sports holiday (excluding lift pass, equipment hire and ski school). However, people’s intention and the reality of what they ultimately spend is shown to be different here. 1% Other £717 £729 2011/12 20% £714 2010/11 47% £686 2009/10 BUYING A SNOWSPORTS HOLIDAY 2007-2012 £664 2008/9 • Less favourable exchange rates in 11/12 were likely to have had an impact on pricing structures for the winter season, driving the basic holiday cost up. The pound has since strengthened against the Euro and Swiss franc. 2007/8 • The increase in the average cost partly reflected the stability of the more affluent sector of society and the fact that their booking habits have not dramatically changed during the financially challenging times. • Sales via the high street dropped by a 1% market share year-on-year. This could have been due to a drop in the number of high street travel agents following some shop closures across the UK. 2011/12 AVERAGE SNOWSPORTS HOLIDAY COST 2007-2012 Ski Club data Photo credit: HEAD 5 Self-catered chalet Self-catered apartment Other 2011/12 36% 33% 20% 2010/11 34% 31% 20% 9% 2009/10 35% 32% 19% 7% 4% 3% 2008/9 37% 31% 19% 6% 5% 2% 2007/8 37% 31% 20% 4% 6% 2% LENGTH OF HOLIDAY 7% 3% 4% 1% 2% Ski Club data • Seven-day holidays continue to dominate the market. The strong tour operator presence in the holiday market, and their standard weekly charter flight programme, reinforce the success of this holiday duration. • Weekend breaks witnessed a 2% growth in market share, bringing them back in-line with the 08/09 figure. This could have been due to an increased number of ‘time-poor’ holiday-makers being inspired by the fantastic snow conditions and keen to take a quick break, or those seeking a second or third snow-fix later in the season. • The ‘other’ sector experienced a 3% drop in market share. The ‘other’ durations mainly consist of 8 and 10-night breaks that are generally associated with transatlantic holidays to Canada and America. A drop in these durations reflects the drop in holidays to North America as a whole. 6 LENGTH OF HOLIDAY 2007-2012 7 days Weekend Other 2011/12 84% 11% 2010/11 84% 9% 5% 2% 2009/10 83% 10% 5% 2% 2008/9 81% 6% 2% 2007/8 76% 5% 3% Ski Club data 11% 16% 2% 2% 1% 1% 3% 3% 2% 13% 12% 14% 13% 12% 6% 6% 5% 5% 5% 6% 7% 6% 5% 6% Fly-drive Self-drive • The market share for train travel stayed the same year-on-year and Eurostar had a successful winter. • Fly-drive lost a 1% market share for 11/12 and this can in part be due to the cost of driving on the continent. Some people may have also been put off driving in the hazardous conditions associated with considerable snowfall and adverse weather that dominated the season. 1% 3% Other 73% 72% 71% 72% 74% Coach Train Flight • Eurostar increased the number of services to 69 for the 11/12 season and this is part of the reason why their passenger figures grew by over 13% year-on-year. 14 days 1% 2% 2011/12 Hotel Club hotel TRANSPORT 2007-2012 2010/11 • Self-catered chalets and the ‘other’ sector saw a 1% drop in market share, while the Club hotel sector had the biggest drop in market share at 2% year-on-year. Catered chalet • Flights remain the most popular mode of transport for people travelling on a snowsports holiday, with their market share increasing by 2% during the 11/12 season. The popularity in flights was mainly due to the inclusion of flights in tour operator packages and the relative value of travelling on such a package. 2009/10 • Catered chalets and hotels both grew their percentage market share by 2% for the 11/12 season. The value of booking a more complete package, which includes breakfast and evening meals, has become more appealing to skiers, especially with the relative expense of buying supplies in resort. Major tour operator Inghams also dramatically increased their catered chalet offering for 11/12. ACCOMMODATION 2007-2012 2008/9 ACCOMMODATION TRANSPORT 2007/8 SNOWSPORTS HOLIDAY BREAKDOWN Ski Club data NUMBER OF PASSENGERS CARRIED BY EUROSTAR 2007-2012 Photo credit: Paul Morrison 2011/12 36,000 2010/11 31,751 2009/10 35,049 2008/9 36,136 2007/8 30,800 Ski Club data 7 COUNTRIES AND RESORTS 5 3 3 4 4 • The decline in France’s market share has somewhat reversed. It fell by 5% between 08/09 and 10/11, but for 11/12 France gained three percentage points. This could have been due to bookers’ confidence in the snow conditions found in France’s high altitude/snow sure resorts (following a poor 10/11 snow season) and the efforts made by some resorts to provide value. Although it just missed out on the top five resorts for France, Morzine has grown in popularity and was one of the key locations for Brits skiing in France. 2011/12 41 15 4 4 Figures shown in % 7 4 25 COUNTRIES 2007-2012 6 2010/11 14 23 4 8 3 5 Resorts in alphabetical order for each country 2009/10 39 14 22 6 3 4 7 3 2008/9 AUSTRIA SWITZERLAND Kaprun/Zell am See Kitzbühel Mayrhofen Obergurgl St Anton Davos Klosters Saas Fee Verbier Wengen Zermatt FRANCE CANADA La Plagne Les Arcs Méribel Tignes Val d’Isère Banff/Lake Louise/Sunshine Big White Fernie Tremblant Whistler 43 14 20 • Italy also saw growth of 1% and this could in part be due to the relative value when skiing at Italian resorts. • North America experienced a 1% decline in market share. This could be due to a combination of poor snow conditions in some resorts compared to the extremely good snow conditions found in many European resorts, and the relative expense of travelling to North America. 6 7 • Austria’s market share grew by 2% year-on-year the sixth season in a row that Austria has seen an increase. The country experienced a particularly impressive amount of snowfall during the 11/12 season, making it an attractive option. • Switzerland saw a 2% drop in its market share and this could predominantly be attributed to the poor exchange rate from sterling to Swiss franc and the resulting higher costs associated with skiing in Switzerland. TOP 5 RESORTS IN EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA 38 4 4 8 France Switzerland Austria North America Italy Bulgaria Andorra Other 6 4 2007/8 43 13 18 Ski Club data Photo credit: Schladming ITALY USA Cervinia Courmayeur Sauze d’Oulx Selva Gardena Sestriere Aspen Breckenridge Heavenly Jackson Hole Vail Photo credit: Paul Morrison 9 DISCIPLINES DISCIPLINES 2007-2012 2011/12 • Ski continues to grow as the dominant discipline. During 11/12 participation increased to the percentage market share last seen in the 00/01 season. • Snowboard dropped by 1% market share for the third season in a row. • Growth in skiing as a discipline could be attributed in-part to growth in cross country and telemark and increased interest in ski touring. 81% 15% 3% 1% 2010/11 80% 16% 3% 1% 2009/10 80% 17% 2% 1% 2008/9 79% 18% 2% 1% 2007/8 78% 17% DISCIPLINES 2007-2012 Ski Board Non-ski 3% In Sport England’s Active People Survey (APS), the discipline split on artificial slopes in England was 39% snowboarding and 61% skiing. 2% • The market share statistics for skiing and snowboarding differs quite considerably for those on holiday and those skiing or snowboarding at English artificial slopes. Snowboarding was more popular on the artificial slopes in England than it was for those holidaying overseas. • Snowboarding’s relative popularity on English slopes could have been due, in part, to the number of established skiers who were keen to try out the sport but preferred to spend their holidays skiing. • There is a strong freestyle scene at both indoor and outdoor artificial slopes in England which draws a dedicated crowd of both skiers and snowboarders. This could also account for the relative popularity of snowboarding at English slopes. Other Ski Club data • Interest in touring-style snowsports was largely driven by recent ski and binding developments. 39% 61% Photo credit: Ross Woodhall 10 SNOWSPORT ENGLAND: DISCIPLINES IN ENGLAND Snowsport England data Photo credit: Ross Woodhall 11 GENDER The 11/12 season was the fourth time that the split has been 57% male and 43% female since 00/01, and the split of those taking a ski holiday is now in-line with the 09/10 figures. There could be several reasons for the discrepancy in numbers of males and females skiing: • All-male or mixed groups tend to be more common than all-female groups holidaying together. GENDER 2007-2012 2011/12 57% 43% 2010/11 58% 42% 2009/10 57% 43% 2008/9 55% 45% 2007/8 55% 45% Male Female • Women who are pregnant or have young families are far less likely to ski than men with young families. The recent ‘baby boom’ during the recession could mean the gender split is currently more exaggerated. Ski Club data 1.2 SNOWSPORT ENGLAND: GENDER AND AGE - PARTICIPATION IN ENGLAND Participation in snowsports was just under two-thirds male. It was highest amongst men in their early 20s and 30s, with a long tail in terms of drop-off. Female participation showed peaks in the late 20s and again in the mid to late 40s. Female Percentage of population In Sport England’s ‘Trends in your Sport’ survey there was a larger bias towards males participating in snowsports in England (including participation on English artificial slopes). Age also affected the percentage split of men and women. Male 1 There is an opportunity to grow the female market and encourage women to return to the sport: 0.8 • The snowsports equipment manufacturers are still developing and promoting more female-specific equipment and events. 0.6 0.4 • Some specialist operators are offering ‘women only’ holidays, instructional courses and services. 0.2 0 16-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 Age Sport England data 12 Photo credit: HEAD Image to right: Ross Woodhall • There has been success at some England-based facilities of women-only sessions. 13 DOMESTIC SNOWSPORTS SNOWSPORT ENGLAND: DRY AND ARTIFICIAL SLOPES SCOTTISH RESORTS • Cairngorm Mountain remained the most popular skiing resort in Scotland for the ninth season in a row. Outdoor natural snow • The total for the Scottish skier days dropped by over 54% year on year. Dry slope Indoor real snow • The total for visits to all five Scottish ski areas was 131,678. The total has only dropped below this once since our records began in 98/99 and this was in 06/07 when it was 78,723. SCOTTISH SKIER DAYS 2007-2012 2011/12 • The greatest drop in visitor figures was at the eastern resorts, which is contrary to the previous season when the biggest drop was at the western resorts. 2009/10 2010/11 • The drop in visitor numbers to Scottish resorts could be attributed to the relatively poor snow conditions in comparison to the outstanding snow conditions in the rest of Europe. SNOWSPORT ENGLAND: ENGLISH RESORTS After two good seasons for natural snow slopes in Northern England (Cumbria, Northumberland and County Durham), the difficult 11/12 season led to a drop in attendance. When these slopes do have snow they generally run at full capacity, including Weardale Ski Club, Ski Allenheads, Yad Moss, The Lakeland District Ski Club and Harwood Common. 10,866 9,788 10,614 18,289 14,037 2008/9 When looking at these slopes there are many reasons for the differences in performance (this is based on customer responses from the Sport England satisfaction survey): There is potential opportunity for dry slope improvement: 145,000 116,614 52,147 34,686 26,135 43,000 Cairngorm Glenshee 19,110 15,876 16,899 The Lecht Nevis 62,000 2007/8 The Snowsport England Facility Survey 2012 shows that 100% of indoor snow slopes showed an increase in participation. Dry slopes on the whole saw 50% exhibiting an increase, 33% showed no change and 17% had a drop in attendance. • All indoor slopes are fairly modern and meet customer expectations. They also have clearer marketing strategies. 121,000 95,571 40,678 65,000 Photo credit: Tom Dixon 14 66,463 33,947 Snowsport England facility survey data shows that indoor slopes enjoyed increased participation over the 11/12 period, while it was a more challenging time for the dry slopes (synthetic matting). The dry slopes that have invested and are well managed also saw a growth in participation. Glencoe 39,007 18,061 23,021 23,000 Ski Club data • Some dry slopes lack investment and the quality of experience may not be up to customer expectations. • Facilities that can offer a variety of activities seem to be doing the best. • The awareness of indoor snow slopes has risen. • A new type of matting (Proslope) which has had very positive feedback and boosted numbers considerably at Snowtrax, where this surface has been used. • Develop sites to offer a range of activities to provide a more rounded offering to customers. • There was a desire from all slopes at the Club and Facility Conference to work together to grow awareness of the opportunities to ski or snowboard in England, and encourage participation. 15 SNOWSPORT ENGLAND: KEY COMMENTS GO SKI GO BOARD In an effort to boost participation in skiing and snowboarding, Snowsport England has launched an exciting new series of courses. As cost is often seen as a barrier to people taking up winter sports, the programme offers an all-inclusive price with no extra cost for equipment, clothing and lift pass. Participation in snowsports in England has shown a slight increase across all types of snowsports facility but there are some clear areas where there has been positive growth and other areas that have seen a decline. The centres that have invested in their facilities and been proactive have seen an increase in participation. There is a clear focus to get new people into snowsports and to participate on a more regular basis. For those who have always wanted to ski or snowboard. Beginner courses are the perfect starting point to get a feel for the slope. TRENDS IN PARTICIPATION IMPROVERS People aged 14+ are invited to register an interest in joining one of the six week programmes aimed at beginners, improvers or those just wishing to ski recreationally. BEGINNERS For those already confident on the main slope. Development sessions are ideal to help improve technique and style. • Open practice continues to decline. • There has been an increase in beginner lessons, both in skiing and snowboarding. • Satisfaction is higher amongst those who are members of a snowsports club compared to general participants. • Club usage and events has remained level. • The freestyle scene is still popular and continues to thrive with the addition of airbags at some venues. RECREATIONAL • A greater focus on informal coaching at the higher level to stop the decline in open practice. • A greater variety of activities. One example is the mogul sessions at Chill Factore which have been very successful in attracting people back on a more regular basis. • Season passes raise the number of regular participants. • A clear national programme being promoted by Snowsport England, the GO SKI GO BOARD initiative, has had success at some sites, especially when targeted at particular groups. Photo credit: SNO!zone 16 For those that just want to ski or snowboard with a group of like-minded people. Includes six weeks of recreational skiing or snowboarding sessions. EXAMPLES OF SUCCESS Courses are available at the following GO SKI GO BOARD partner slopes: • Castleford Sno!zone, West Yorkshire • Sheffield Ski Village • Gloucestershire Ski and Snowboard Centre • Chill Factore, Manchester • The Ackers, Birmingham • Alpine Snowsports Centre, Aldershot • Rossendale, Lancashire • Southampton Alpine Centre • Norfolk Snowports Centre, Norwich • Kendal, Cumbria • Hemel Snow Centre, Hertfordshire 17 SNOWSPORTS FOR THOSE WITH A DISABILITY LOOKING FORWARD There have been developments at many facilities in England. This varies from volunteer organisations to facilities offering professional instruction for those with disabilities. The indoor slopes all have qualified instructors and have completed 2,123 private and group lessons in the past year (numbers from Disability Snowsport UK). There is scope for increasing this number and developing both voluntary clubs and the professional instructor side. CHALLENGES POSITIVES • The economic situation in the UK remains unstable and skiing is still perceived to be expensive despite the fantastic value and quality offered by many tour operators, as well as indoor and dry slope facilities. • Those who went skiing during the 11/12 season in Europe experienced some of the best snow conditions in years (the Ski Club was inundated with positive reports). People had a fantastic time on holiday and were reminded just how exhilarating a winter sports holiday can be; and those who didn’t make it out to the slopes may have felt like they were missing out. Either way, the bumper 11/12 snow season in Europe is likely to inspire more people to book for the 12/13 season. • There are concerns about the lack of new skiers and snowboarders entering the market. The Crystal Ski Industry report showed a 6% year-on-year drop in the schools ski market. School skiing is how a vast number of skiers get into the sport, so any drop here can be significant. There is an industry-wide drive to encourage grass-roots skiing. The Ski Club of Great Britain has introduced a new ‘Ask the expert’ to offer advice about skiing with a disability or special need. See skiclub.co.uk/asktheexpert for more information • The British perception of April skiing, and the assumption that snow conditions are unreliable towards the latter half of the season, has led to slower April sales in the past. Spring skiing offers many positives and many people don’t realise late April's potential to bring some of the biggest snowfalls of the season. • The pound has strengthened against the euro and Swiss franc and subsequently reduced in-resort costs for British skiers and snowboarders. Tour operators and resorts also continue to add value in a number of ways, following the success of all-inclusive packages and deals on lift passes which aim to keep skiing affordable. • Tour operators are offering additional activities in resort and making efforts to provide better quality along with Photo credit: Oxygène Ski School & ESI 18 a more full and varied ‘mountain experience’. This focus on quality and consumer expectation also extends to other elements of the holiday or UK-based skiing experience including instruction, equipment, environment, food and drink. • The season’s holiday structure is operationally much better this year. In previous seasons people have been put off by inconvenient departure dates over Christmas, New Year and Easter. A number of reports from chalet companies and operators imply they are already well-sold for Christmas and New Year 12/13. Easter also falls favourably in late March/early April. • An industry-wide drive to get more people into skiing hopes to bring back the beginner market. Many initiatives have already been introduced, such as Snowsport England’s GO SKI GO BOARD campaign, free lessons at the Ski Show and all-inclusive beginner-specific packages from tour operators. Photo credit: Pook Heli Lodge 19 SNOWSPORT ENGLAND: PARTICIPATION WITHIN ENGLAND BRITISH TALENT FOR THE OLYMPICS CHALLENGES POSITIVES • Competition with other leisure activities continues to grow and, while perception is that skiing is an expensive sport, most sites offer extremely competitive prices. • Snowsport England held a very successful facility & club conference. This was the first time all facilities and clubs were brought together and was a great opportunity to share ideas, work together and to look at ways of increasing participation in England. • Some dry slopes have had limited investment and the quality of the surface needs to be addressed. • Even though the slopes are open throughout the year, usage remains very seasonal. • Sheffield Ski Village was burnt down and is currently closed which leaves a large void of provision. • GO SKI GO BOARD has been launched and is running successfully at various sites. • A continued rise in Snowsport England affiliated club membership to 26,767 (16% increase). • Gloucester ski slope has now been sold and is under new management with some exciting ideas to invest into the centre. • Rossendale ski slope has survived its first year as a social enterprise. • Prospect of new indoor facilities being built. • Successful new surface (Proslope) launched at Snowtrax in Bournemouth. 20 SNOWSPORT ENGLAND FUTURE PLANS AND DEVELOPMENTS • GO SKI GO BOARD as a national programme will be rolled out further and greater promotion will take place over the next 12 months. After the fantastic success of the 2012 London Olympic Games we need to look forward to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi Russia. The country embraced the 2012 Olympics and there are already reports of increased participation in many sports, following the inspirational impact of the Games. The Winter Olympics could offer a similar opportunity for snowsports and will hopefully inspire the next generation of wintersports enthusiasts, and increase participation. Atheletes are currently working hard in preparation for the 2014 winter Olympic Games. Some of the best medal prospects for Team GB are: • Jenny Jones - Slopestyle Boarding • Zoe Gillings - Snowboarder cross • James Woods - Slopestyle skiing • Talent pathway will have a greater focus over the coming year with the recruitment of a Talent Development officer to work with clubs, academies and link in with British Ski and Snowboard. There will also be the launch of an English Championship freestyle tour. • Snowsport England has submitted a grant application to Sport England to continue working on growing participation in snowsports and a focus on developing talent. This funding will be confirmed by January 2013 and will start in April 2013 through to 2017. Slopestyle is a new event for the 2014 Olympics. It has been one of the main attractions in recent years at the X-Games and British athletes have already had some podium results. Photo credit: Vanessa Sharples (both) 21 SNOWSPORT ENGLAND The Governing Body for English skiers and snowboarders is recognised by Sport England, the SRA (Sport and Recreational Alliance) and the British Olympic Association. It is a Federation of member clubs and associated individuals with a current aggregate membership of 25,000. RECOGNISED AND DIRECTLY GRANT-AIDED BY SPORT ENGLAND Snowsport England’s mission is to promote, develop and celebrate snowsports both in England and abroad. We have clear objectives to increase participation, develop clubs, coaching and the talent pathway, whilst providing an influential voice for competitive snowsports. As a well managed, effective organisation that is financially sustainable, we will deliver these objectives by working with key stakeholders in the snowsports industry and the wider sporting network. SNOWSPORT ENGLAND 22 More information on Snowsport England can be found at snowsportengland.org.uk or by emailing [email protected] THE SKI CLUB OF GREAT BRITAIN PLAN • Dedicated information team • Industry-leading snow reports • Access to comprehensive Ski Club insurance The Ski Club of Great Britain is a not-for-profit members’ club offering benefits and services to people who love skiing and snowboarding. Founded in 1903, the Ski Club is a body of authority for recreational skiing in the UK. With around 30,000 members, it is the UK’s biggest snowsports membership club, with the UK’s most-visited snowsports website, skiclub.co.uk. The Ski Club offers its members benefits and services which cater for every aspect of skiing and snowboarding. These include Ski Club Leaders based in major resorts around the world to ski with members around the mountain. SKI WITH THE CLUB • Leaders based in major resorts to ski with members • Exhilarating group skiing holidays with Ski Club Freshtracks • Meet other members on snow and at our events SAVE • Huge reductions on tour operator holidays • High street and sports kit/ equipment discounts • Travel and accommodation savings More information on Ski Club membership benefits and services can be found at skiclub.co.uk/join skiclub.co.uk Photo credit: Ross Woodhall 23 SNOWSPORT ENGLAND Ski Club of Great Britain The White House 57-63 Church Road Wimbledon Village London SW19 5SB T: 020 8410 2009 E: [email protected] W: skiclub.co.uk Photo credit (left): HEAD. Front cover: Ross Woodhall 2