 Poster: A snowHead
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We are thinking of offering our 2014+ clients the opportunity of a “stop-over” in Venice either at the start or end of their holiday.
What do you think?
Is it a good idea
Will anyone be interested
Etc
See here for details
http://www.brentaski.com/pages/page_extend_venice.html
(this page is not linked to our main site yet – it’s just a tester at the moment)
Any thoughts ?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| yes some of the pilots really do sign to their passengers |
the deaf ones, presumably?
I think it's a good idea - worth a try.
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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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yes I think its very good idea - specially for Venice, in particular - it means I can and will be mentioning to to the Wildwife
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Wayne, We booked a late flight last year so that we had about 6 hours in Venice on the way home, well worth it. The travel day on the way home is a write off anyway, so might as well make the most of it and do something extra that day.
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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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I've done this as a half-day visit on the way home for the last couple of years and loved it. Had never visited Venice before, so found it all a bit jaw-dropping. Was lucky with the weather on both occasions (lovely spring temperatures at the end of March), and it complemented the week in the Dolomites perfectly.
One night extra for sightseeing in Venice would be plenty if you've already had a week in the mountains, and the choice of the Marriott Courtyard Hotel is a good one. Much better to be close to the airport than schlep in and out of Venice itself with all your luggage. The shuttle bus from the airport is very convenient.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Wayne, I think a weekend in Venice at the end of a ski holiday, in Spring, sounds good 
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Superb idea. Venice is one of the wonders of the world.
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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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Wayne, fantastic! I've not seen that, but I have been there when the lagoon was frozen over, so one could only get to the airport by road.
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It wouldn't be a big selling point for me. I'd take a few extra days skiing instead.
Mind you, I'm not that keen on City Breaks; I prefer impressive nature. Stuff we make lacks the grandure.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Great idea. I've been there on a business jolly and tacked skiing on instead. Makes a nice trip. Could work well as an additional incentive to convince reluctant partners to go skiing, too! Need to proof read your web page, though.
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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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Sounds and looks good to me.
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I like the look of it and if most people fly in/out of venice anyway it sounds like it would work well. A couple of points that I would consider if it was me would be:
- if you normally only do Sat - Sat holidays why not only offer it at the end which would make your life much easier ops wise and would probably suit the majority of people.
- How do your flight allocations work? Presumably non-sat flights are cheaper but might you end up actually spending more if you have to pay for two sets of allocations? Or can you do mid weeks on a seat-by-seat basis?
- How are you going to rep it? Or, if you're not, do you have enough staff/vehicles etc to cover a rep out of resort if something that needs a rep comes up?
- How will you work the transfers?
My other thought would be would it be worth selling a more standard ad-on instead of just recommending a hotel? eg transfer from your hotel to the one in Venice on Sat plus one night hotel plus taxi transfer to airport on Sun evening plus Sun night flight home instead of sat for x amount per week?
Best of luck with it - wish I was allowed ski holidays - I'd be there like a shot!!
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You know it makes sense.
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| Snow and Sunshine wrote: |
| - if you normally only do Sat - Sat holidays why not only offer it at the end which would make your life much easier ops wise and would probably suit the majority of people. |
From next year (2014) all our flights are on Sunday
| Snow and Sunshine wrote: |
| - How do your flight allocations work? Presumably non-sat flights are cheaper but might you end up actually spending more if you have to pay for two sets of allocations? Or can you do mid weeks on a seat-by-seat basis? |
We can sort out the flights
| Snow and Sunshine wrote: |
| - How are you going to rep it? Or, if you're not, do you have enough staff/vehicles etc to cover a rep out of resort if something that needs a rep comes up? |
We won't rep it. We will either collect people after the pre-holiday break or drop them at the hotel for the post holiday break
| Snow and Sunshine wrote: |
| - How will you work the transfers? |
We can sort out the transfer to/from the airport (or hotel if near the airport)
| Snow and Sunshine wrote: |
| My other thought would be would it be worth selling a more standard ad-on instead of just recommending a hotel? eg transfer from your hotel to the one in Venice on Sat plus one night hotel plus taxi transfer to airport on Sun evening plus Sun night flight home instead of sat for x amount per week? |
We trialed this, this year and half of the people are staying the Marriott and the half have sorted thier own hotel out in Venice. I think it's better the give people as much as possible. We can sort it out for any number of days that they would want to spend in Venice
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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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Until other factors got in the way, was planning on doing this last year. Ski Sat - Sat; Saturday afternoon and Sunday in Venice, fly home late on Sunday. Some thoughts:
1. When I am going skiing, I want to go skiing, and so would much prefer to ski first and Venice last (small child mentality).
2. TBH, for very many people 6 days' skiing is plenty. They're glad of a rest day after that.
3. Combine 2 with 1, then you should be doing the extra day at the end. (yes, I know.... you didn't ask that)
4. Skiing can be exhausting; a nice gentle day in Venice at the end of the holiday helps return-to-job preparation.
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Poster: A snowHead
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James the Last,
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Skiing can be exhausting; a nice gentle day in Venice
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Speaking from experience, walking round Venice can also be exhausting! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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geepee, I cannot wait for my day in Venice at the end of the BB, it's been SO long since I was there. (Used to go there every Christmas for quite a few years.) I'm going to try not to do too much, but it will be hard to choose what to see in less than a day. At least there will be no temptation to go to Torcello: it's one of my favourite places in the world, but it's too far to go in the time available.
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| Pedantica wrote: |
| geepee, I cannot wait for my day in Venice at the end of the BB. |
This year all of the people stopping over for 1 or 2 nights in Venice are doing it at the start of the holiday.
It's understandable as most of our flights this year (and all next year) are on Sunday.
Most of the people are opting for 2 nights in Venice and they are arriving on Friday morning
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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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I'd usually opt for a day at the beginning of a ski week too - at the end of a holiday I tend to just want to go home, without deviation or hesitation.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I think if I'm going skiing, I'm going skiing; I don't want to go anywhere else, especially as I've got all my ski gear and equipment to lug around. However that's just me.
I'm sure plenty of people would love some time in Venice, it's an ideal opportunity as they're flying into Venice airport anyway, makes sense to me.
I finally got to see the place last September and thought it was amazing. It's somewhere you simply HAVE to see.
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If I was going to do it (and TBH I probably wouldn't - skiing is skiing, city breaks are city breaks) I think I would like to be offered an itinerary. We had a late flight out of Salzburg last year and were offered a walking tour of the city with a local guide. It was a great way of spending a few hours. Would have skied the extra day normally but the weather was poor.
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Tiger2, Venice is one of those places where you can just buy some tickets for the water busses and wander round productively without an itinerary. I much preferred the quiet corners - I can live without St Marks. I find the less touristy bits, almost anywhere, more interesting (I am probably the only person in the world who has been to Niagara without seeing the falls - but it was 3 am and very snowy!) I have also been to Rome without visiting the Vatican (but I was working) and to Timbuctoo without visiting the world's oldest university (but that was work, too...)
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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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Sounds good then - do it!!
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I probably wouldn't opt for it on a family skiing holiday.
We once stopped in Paris on our way back from skiing. We were there on a Sunday and a lot of attractions weren't open on Sunday morning. In the end it turned into a day hanging around with two tired children and we wished we'd gone straight home. There was also the hassle of leaving bags in left luggage etc.
Another time we went to Annecy on our way to a skiing holiday. Whilst it was a pretty town it was absolutely freezing in January with the cold wind blowing across the lake.
I haven't been to Venice in winter - maybe it is a bit warmer being further south.
I think on the whole I'd just want to focus on skiing on a skiing holiday and would not want to switch to city break mode.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| snowymum wrote: |
I probably wouldn't opt for it on a family skiing holiday.
We once stopped in Paris on our way back from skiing. We were there on a Sunday and a lot of attractions weren't open on Sunday morning. In the end it turned into a day hanging around with two tired children and we wished we'd gone straight home. There was also the hassle of leaving bags in left luggage etc.
Another time we went to Annecy on our way to a skiing holiday. Whilst it was a pretty town it was absolutely freezing in January with the cold wind blowing across the lake.
I haven't been to Venice in winter - maybe it is a bit warmer being further south.
I think on the whole I'd just want to focus on skiing on a skiing holiday and would not want to switch to city break mode. |
Thanks for the thoughts.
Fair enough, it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I thought I'd give it a try.
I honestly don't think it will make anyone book a ski holiday with us, but what it "may" do is to tip the balance in our favor if someone is weighting up their options. Got-to-keep-trying-ya-know- 
Oh and unlike Paris Venice is all about just being here. OK you can go into this place or that, but the main thing to do (if you're not been here before) is just wander around. And yes it can get chilly in Venice during the winter (but if people have packed for skiing I'll assume they have a warm coat).
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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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| Quote: |
And yes it can get chilly in Venice during the winter
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But it gets very hot and smelly and stupidly crowded in the summer - a chilly-weather visit is much preferable. And yes, it is just about being there. Like nowhere else.
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Wayne, I think if I considered it, I would prefer a couple of nights at least and not just a day. A day or just one night would be like the day like the one snowymum describes in Paris above. Especially if you have kids and lots of baggage, it would have to be long enough to 'savour' the place rather than just pass through. It could be a carrot for non-skiers dragged along for a ski holiday especially in Spring 
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You know it makes sense.
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snowymum,
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| I haven't been to Venice in winter - maybe it is a bit warmer being further south. |
I've had Christmas lunch sitting outside. I've also experienced extreme cold, snow, fog, rain, the lot - but it remains magical whatever the weather. I've never been in summer.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Wayne, Good idea for the US clientele. There was a US club in Livigno last week for 4 days skiing and 4 days in Rome. But if you go for the 'furiners' be aware they have much less vacation time than pretty much anyone except a child chained to a work-bench in China.
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