With a fresh flurry of winter sport enthusiasts looking for alternative activities, such as split boarding, cross-country touring and freestyling in the snow park, the traditional ski holiday is swiftly becoming more of a pick ‘n’ mix of cold weather outdoor pursuits.
What is more, social media devotees can now enjoy total Wi-Fi connectivity at many ski resorts and a wealth of clever new safety equipment is hitting the slopes every year.
With this in mind, Airport Parking and Hotels (APH) has launched a guide for winter sports travellers to keep up-to-date with the latest snow and safety trends for 2017.
Available at www.aph.com/snowtrends, the guide features an infographic displaying the incredible developments in snow safety gear and a table comparing the availability and cost of Wi-Fi connectivity at some of the world’s most popular resorts, helping wanderlust winter explorers stay safe and connected while on holiday.
Surprisingly, a number of ski resorts currently don’t offer Wi-Fi on the slopes, with Meribel in France and Aspen in Colorado not providing access to visitors while Lech in Austria and Cortina in Italy do. Val Thorens in France also limits skiers to Wi-Fi access from only 9am – 5pm. Skiers will also be able to enjoy advanced safety equipment including inflatable rucksacks and jackets, as well as lightweight inclinometers, which allows skiers to measure the angle of the slope.
Beverley Barden, head of Marketing at Airport Parking and Hotels, said: “With the increasing popularity of off-piste skiing and snowboarding, as well as an emergence of daring new snow sports, it’s more important than ever to make sure you’re well-equipped on the mountains. Our guide includes a creative infographic highlighting the new safety equipment available this year, designed to put skiers and boarders in the best position should they come into trouble on the snow.
“What’s more, documenting our travels on social media and sharing photos directly from the slopes is now just as important as the actual experience and our Wi-Fi comparison table allows travellers to learn how connected they will be on their holiday – and for what price.”
Whether you’re taking skis, a snowboard or even a fat bike on your skiing holiday, finding out which regulations you have to adhere to can be a headache. To help cut through all the mouse-clicking, APH (Airport Parking and Hotels) has also created an online baggage allowance finder, which is easy to use and regularly updated with the latest information. The tool can be accessed at www.aph.com/community/baggage-allowances/.
