 Poster: A snowHead
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A Natives report here commenting on the Crystal annual figures. Interesting comment about their website.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I always find the figure quoted for "hits" to be quite confusing. Do they mean the number of unique visits, or do they mean the total number of elements from each webpage which are downloaded. We analyse quite carefully the statistics for our website in work - we get about 300,000 'hits' per month, and this translates into about 8,000 unique visitors per month if you ignore searchbots.
Natives is claiming 9 million hits in January - is that every single UK skier visiting the site 9 times during the month, or is it a different measure of their website traffic?
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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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Crystal's figures (not clear if they're independently researched, and - if so - by whom) are that 0.6 million of 1.1 million total ski holidays are sold by tour operators, with 0.3 million of those 0.6 million package holidays sold by three operators: Crystal, Inghams, Thomson.
It would be interesting to know what proportion of snowHeads used a tour op last season, and if it was one of the big three.
I've used Inghams once, a few years ago, and would travel with them again. My most recent ski trip (out of season) was independent (using rail, and accommodation booked via a tourist office). I've also arranged family trips with Ski France and Erna Low in the past 10 years.
You?
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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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rob@rar.org.uk, don't know, exactly the same questions occurred to me. I don't know if somewhere on the "Natives" there's a better explanation.
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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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| rob@rar.org.uk wrote: |
I always find the figure quoted for "hits" to be quite confusing. Do they mean the number of unique visits, or do they mean the total number of elements from each webpage which are downloaded. We analyse quite carefully the statistics for our website in work - we get about 300,000 'hits' per month, and this translates into about 8,000 unique visitors per month if you ignore searchbots.
Natives is claiming 9 million hits in January - is that every single UK skier visiting the site 9 times during the month, or is it a different measure of their website traffic?
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If you took out all Foxy's visits, it'd probably be below 1 million! 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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As Crystal and Thomson are owned by TUI, maybe the big two is more appropriate. Last time I looked Inghams was a Hotelplan trading name, I believe they are Swiss owned.
I did look on the new Crystal website recently, it's been constructed to look like a paper brochure, bit fiddly for my taste, novelty value hits maybe?
I have'nt used a tour op for some years, I just don't seem to fit neatly into one of their packages, too awkward by far 
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brian
brian
Guest
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David Goldsmith, I won't go with a tour op again if I can help it. I just find the whole experience so much more pleasant going independent.
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I see ifyouski have commented as well : here
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| Crystal expect to see the trend towards using specialist ski operators continue. As customers are increasingly well-travelled and knowledgeable about skiing, it is our view that ski holiday sales by the general travel agent are in terminal decline. Crystal believe that by 2010 generalists will only account for about 20% of ski sales. |
Interesting comments, it's the Marks and Spencers syndrome I think, even if a good product was offered by Crystal the customers desire to be preceived as "well-travelled and knowledgeable about skiing" will prevent them buying it. Good news for the smaller operators and time for everyone to buy a chalet 
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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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Even as a family of 4 we never seemed to fit into the 'package' category , even for Summer holidays. We didn't (horror of horrors), want a kids club, an evening cabaret, or a trip to the hippy market. When we started skiing we did the TO thing again, as it seemed easier, but after being put in the beginners ski groups, even though the rep sorted it out, lift passes late, and the last couple of disasters-welcome meeting before we'd even arrived in resort (and we got there at 7pm), and not enough beds, we've given it up and do it ourselves. Everything we've booked has been far better.
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We haven't used a tour operator as such for any holidays , since a disaster with an operator in La Tania. Our overall experiences are similar to Helens in the post above.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I've used TOs (especially to N.America, where it's difficult to beat their flight prices) and DIY'd it for ski hols (never TO'd it for a summer hol). I doubt that we'll use a TO again in Europe; it's cheaper and loads more efficient to DIY. When we TO, we don't tend to get involved with the peripherals (welcome drinkies, visits to this and that, transfers). Somtimes reps can offer good suggestions, but usually no better than the front desk, tourist office or the web.
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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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richmond, Memories of missing the dreaded "Welcome Meeting" and having the rep turn up on our doorstep to do the sell. Being wet and wrapped in a towel is a useful tactic for closing 
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| ise wrote: |
| A Natives report here commenting on the Crystal annual figures. Interesting comment about their website. |
A number of French sources have made the point about a shift towards shorter stays and last minute bookings enabled by the Internet, see the PisteHors.com story about this:
http://www.pistehors.com/comments/478_0_1_0_C/
9 million hits - well Natives have a forum which tends to generate a lot of repeat traffic from a small band of users. Their page is also incredibly busy with lots of graphics - their homepage generated 60 accesses to their webserver (assuming no caching). As a comparison PisteHors.com, which is graphicaly far less busy, generated over 1 million hits in January, 2005. Maybe I should be selling holidays?
Still you know IT so it is hard to tell if they are comparing like with like.
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FAQ
