 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello!
I am currently writing an assignment for my part time uni course, and need to undertake some primary research. I am trying to gather information about ski/snowboard holidays in December and January, and am trying to ascertain the reasons why there may have been a decline in bookings for these two months.
For example, is it the possibility of poor snow conditions based on the previous few years? Or have the costs increased by a noticeable amount (Brexit...?)? Is it more difficult to take the kids out of school than it was previously? Or are there other reasons that I haven't mentioned?
If anyone has a minute to write an answer to the above question that would be amazing... would be good to get some thoughts.
Thanks in advance!
Mel
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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poo-poo snow
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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In our (admittedly tiny) village last season, Dec and Jan were quieter than usual. Firstly, the early season snow didn't arrive until the middle of Jan. Secondly, Christmas and new year hotel prices are perhaps too high for many foreign skiers with the exchange rate as it is. Thirdly, I don't think so many people are coming skiing as they used to - even February which is usually heaving, wasn't overly busy.
Season pass prices have been slashed by 30% for next season, which might bring in more Swiss people. Won't help the regular tourists though.
Interesting analysis here from the tourist board:
http://www.jungfrauzeitung.ch/artikel/152889/
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Wed 30-08-17 18:14; edited 1 time in total
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Mellimoo, poor early season snow.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Where I am in December - back woods BC - numbers were up last season.
The reasons would likely be poor snow in Europe and the US, plus a little effect from the relative weakness of the Canadian dollar against the US. British visitors are not significant there; they tend to go to places closer to international airports.
I guess you could say that although there are overall market trends (probably downwards, I'd guess) more micro issues such as snowfall or currency are also significant. And you can't even look at a single province and expect to find a single driver for market change. If it wasn't complex, investment in it would be simple.
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For piste skiing around my neck of the woods in Austria the best conditions are often late Nov through to the week before Xmas. Good man made snow top ups and hardly anyone on the runs.
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@Mellimoo, snow cover poor. Also wonder if the way the holidays fell caused less attractive tour op packages e.g shortened weeks. Same prob this year I think.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I'd say unreliable snow, rather than poor snow - some years have been good, but they are becoming less frequent. I do love spending Xmas in the Alps, though...
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Are we supposed to write the paper for this kid?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| abc wrote: |
| Are we supposed to write the paper for this kid? |
Relax 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@Mellimoo, I have my own place and three consecutive years of not so good snow cover at Christmas is making me consider not going this Christmas...
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| Quote: |
PostPosted: Wed 30-08-17 21:09 Post subject:
Are we supposed to write the paper for this kid? |
No thanks haha, I'm just gathering some first hand data, it was one of the objectives of the assignment as well as to hand out questionnaires which I have also done.
Thanks so much for the responses everyone, you're backing up what I wanted to say! ☺️
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You know it makes sense.
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I've been somewhere late December for the last 2 seasons and the season before that went late January...before that I didn't really ski. This season I'm going early December.
Probably not what you wanted to hear, but when writing a paper it's poor form to try and manipulate the data to prove your point. You should form a hypothesis and then gather data related to it, not just ask loaded questions to back you up.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Hey, thanks for your response, it's good to get some contradicting data too. I'm not trying to manipulate the data or guide people's answers with my question in order to make things easier for myself, the example reasons I gave in my original post were answers I had already gathered from my other questionnaires and also the secondary literature available online.
I started this thread to see if the reasons I already had were popular or if people had other reasons I hadn't considered. I work for a winter package holiday company myself and personally I have noticed a decline in Christmas bookings in the last couple of years so I know that something is going on.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Mellimoo, For us, we're much more limited to our trip times due to children and being potentially fined for taking them out of school so we are limited to holidays, but like others we'd be reluctant to book over the Christmas/NYE break due to the potential unreliability of snowfall.
So a counter questions seeing you have some access to the data - do you see a corresponding uptick in bookings for the more snow-sure resorts over the early season or over the half-term and Easter breaks when snowfall is more predictable or at least known coverage, or are bookings generally trending downwards?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We skied Christmas week every year for 9 years straight - until last year - due mainly to lack of snow for the three preceding years. Now more likely to look at Easter so that at least if the snow's poor the sun is out for longer.
We have to do school holidays (kids and teacher commitments) and while Feb half term is best for snow we don't like the rush factor.
Cost is certainly more of a consideration than it was with the current exchange rate.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Quote: |
I am trying to gather information about ski/snowboard holidays in December and January, and am trying to ascertain the reasons why there may have been a decline in bookings for these two months.
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OK first question:
Has there or has there not been a reduction in ski holidays in December/January (assuming you are talking about the 2016/7 season)? This must be statistically significant not just your personal opionions
Have you looked at the plethora of ski industry reports discussing this (I assume you have). I beleive Crystal do one for the UK ski travel industry. The Austrian industry has been discussed just recently on this forum and there is a major French industry one around somewhere but I cannot recall where I read it, but then it is your research project not mine. IIRC correctly the main reason given for the reduction last season was that Chritmas eve and New Year's eve were Saturdays making transport difficult.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| johnE wrote: |
OK first question:
Has there or has there not been a reduction in ski holidays in December/January (assuming you are talking about the 2016/7 season)? This must be statistically significant not just your personal opionions
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Second question:
Has there or has there not been a reduction in ski holidays in February / March / April (assuming you are talking about the 2016/7 season)? This must be statistically significant ...
It could be that the reduction (if it exists) in December / January is just a part of an overall reduction in the (UK) ski holiday market
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Read the weather threads from January 2017 (and previous two years) and you will get all your info. Lot of angst
IN over thirty tears skiing never been before 20th January. Nice to have a bit of a space between Xmas hols and the first ski trip of the year.
Yeh and I agree with suec
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Unreliable snow. It's always been unreliable which is why I have never considered skiing before mid-Jan.
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Kids now of an age in which they cannot be taken out of school, so stuck with Christmas/New Year if want to go Dec-Jan. Snow unreliable over Xmas/New Year and often expensive over that period. Prefer Feb half term because snow often better than in Dec-Jan, and half term where we live is often different from the rest of the UK. When the kids have flown the nest, I'll be skiing in January
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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The fing about takin kids out of school is rubish. My dad did it every year and i turnt out allwrite.
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@SnoodlesMcFlude, eye no wot ewe are on a bout.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I always go in January, but never before 15th. Main reason is still getting over Xmas & New Year hols and chaos.
Wouldn't go December as is too busy running up to or over Xmas, and I like to be at home for it.
Poor snow is an issue for some resorts, sure. Never been huge one for me, but I tend to go near glaciers or Lapland.
I will go when it's cheapest and least busy. Hence I go January and avoid Feb, school hols etc ( don't have kids to bother about) and then take more trips in March & end of season.
So I actually am probably bucking your trend (sorry) - but having said that, my primary drivers are cost and not overly-busy pistes (and that is something which is increasingly putting me off); good natural snow is a bonus.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Dec/Xmas/NY was always unreliable for snow since forever (well maybe not in the ice age).
People started to forget that because snowMaking made Xmas ski holidays a more reliable prospect.
The last couple of seasons though, we've had uncommonly high temps in December undermining the benefits of snowMaking and reducing choices of resort in the early season.
This has been exacerbated by the gutter press jumping at the opportunity to scoff at 'rich people unable to have what they want due to the death of skiing'.
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