The Ski Trade - Issue 4 by The Ski Trade Magazine

ISSU E 04 014 | JAN 2

Media Officer for SIGB & Snowsport England on the potential legacy of Sochi success p2

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January 2014 | Issue 04

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BETONY GARNER Media Officer For Snowsport Industries Great Britain (SIGB) & Snowsport England

Rob Stewart Co-Editor As an industry we seem to always be asking the question about how we can collectively foster new participation in the sports of skiing and snowboarding. With funding provided by SIGB for a Snowsport Media Officer, working with Snowsport England and British Ski and Snowboard (BSS), that opportunity to employ someone specifically to help achieve this aim has now materialised, and Betony Garner was the clear choice to take it on. Garner was part of the Ski Club of Great Britain for 9 years, with 6 of those as its PR Manager. This not only built-up her knowledge of the industry, but also allowed her to build many relationships with a variety of organisations, and key snow sports personalities. Following her time at the Ski Club, Garner worked on the London Olympic Games as a Press Officer, which provided yet another layer of experience within a complex and busy environment. We caught up with Betony to find out what she’s got planned for this winter, and how her experience at London 2012 is shaping these plans. ”I learnt so much from the London Games. Working in a very busy press office with constant enquiries about everything connected to the Games – from sport and venue queries, to questions from the media on security and ticketing. Dealing with journalists at that level can be demanding, and you had to be very good at managing crisis situations, says Garner.

”When the role came up to help promote snowsports and work with the GB skiers and snowboarders to do this, I jumped at the chance. I took on the role as Snowsports Media Officer in the summer, and it is my job now to communicate the information about GO SKI GO BOARD and the Slide2Sochi campaigns to the media and wider public, as well as being the media officer for BSS. I need to ensure as an industry we capitalise on the fact there’s increased interest in snowsports in the lead-up to the 2014 Winter Olympic Games.” GO SKI GO BOARD is the campaign to help encourage newcomers and lapsed skiers into the sport, whilst Slide2Sochi is a series of roadshows across the country to help promote the sport before the Olympics start. I wanted to know how the campaigns were going, and what kind of reaction she’d had from the national and snow sports media. ”We’re getting good traction with the ski and snowboard magazines, both in terms of the coverage of the two campaigns, and also coverage of the GB ski and snowboard teams. Tirol is a destination partner for GO SKI GO BOARD, which really has helped the campaign. We are working with its PR team to capitalise on opportunities to promote GO SKI GO BOARD with journalists who are travelling to the Tirol. In terms of the sports press, coverage of the GB team will ramp up as we head towards the Olympics, and at the moment we have many of the Olympic hopefuls talking to the national sports journalists – it’s key to build relationships with them in the lead up to Sochi.”

So what can the industry do to help? Is the Olympic effect going to happen, and if it is, how can we all, as an industry, get involved to really make an impact in 2014? I put this question to Garner. ”Firstly, everyone should follow Team BSS and Snowsport England on Twitter and Facebook. If companies can communicate that information to their clients too it would really help. Have a look around the GO SKI GO BOARD website, and point customers towards the site to find their nearest slope in the UK, and nearest GO SKI GO BOARD sessions. We are also currently building an online and offline ‘toolkit’ that SIGB members can tap into to engage with GO SKI GO BOARD specifically. More generally, we want the whole industry to get behind Team GB in Sochi 2014 and shout about the Games, the events, and the results in February next year.” The world of communications has changed over the last few years and it moves quickly, with new technologies driving the playing field for journalists and PR people. I wanted to know from Garner how that changes the way a campaign like this is approached. ”PR has significantly changed because of the rise in social media. It’s much more interactive and you need to be smarter. It is not just about placing news stories in the traditional areas; it is about engaging the consumer directly through your own channels which you have control of, i.e. your website and social media channels. Sometimes this makes it easier, sometimes it is harder in a cluttered market. What I do

know is that things are different from when I first started in PR.” I ask what Garner thinks regarding the interest levels for Sochi? ”There’s a high interest in Sochi,” she says, ”the bigger challenge will be after the Olympics. How to carry on and continue to build interest. We need to keep talking to the public directly, especially those that have shown interest.” What about medals? Should we be careful not to overstate the case and apply too much pressure on the athletes? ”Britain has the best chances for snowsports medal success this Olympics – people are worried about saying this in case it puts pressure on our athletes. But in my opinion it is just a fact! My job will be harder if we don’t win any medals, but I believe whatever happens Sochi 2014 will have a big impact on the UK public in February. The freestyle events will be going out live on UK TV, and the timings work in our favour, with the main BBC programme being on at 7pm on BBC2. It’s a fantastic opportunity, and the coverage on the BBC will mean it’s seen by a wide audience of people.” Garner will be heading to the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi as a Team GB Press Officer, working with the skiers, snowboarders, and biathletes, and I asked how she was feeling about that. ”I’m relishing the challenge, working in a different culture, it will be challenging, but I’m really looking forward to it.”

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Issue 04 | January 2014

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WELCOME TO 2014 Rob Stewart Co-Editor 2014 – what a year this could be for the snow sports industry. There’s so much going on in the month between this edition of the Ski Trade and the next one alone; we’re spoilt for choice.

When top surgeons say a helmet saved someone’s life then we are sure to see changes made in the way resorts mandate their safety regulations. The question is, would Michael Schumacher have made the decision to ski in such a ”garden of rock” without a helmet? He might have gone the other way, and never have had the accident in the first place. Conjecture, but the point you need to ask yourself is ”would you ski that slope without a helmet or without an avalanche transceiver?” If the answer is no, then you should turn back, whatever safety equipment you might be wearing.

Our ”Big Interview” this month is with Betony Garner, who’ll be on the ground in Sochi communicating all of the news from the 2014 Winter Olympics as it happens. This opportunity to shout about all the great things about our sport shouldn’t be underestimated. She’s also notably the second woman in a row to feature on our front cover, which shouldn’t be a reason for discussion, but looking down our list of the twenty people who influenced the industry this year should be. Perhaps Fiona Young, CEO of Disability Snowsport UK, who’s just received an OBE for her services towards disabled sport, can have an honorary mention to help balance the male:female ratio slightly. We’ll see you all at ISPO, Slide, and perhaps the Winter Olympics in the next month, and wish you a happy and prosperous 2014.

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January 2014 | Issue 04

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Will the Games impact on your winter sports business?

The Olympic Effect Amie Postings Co-Editor Only once every 4 years do we get the opportunity to capitalise on the biggest winter sports event on the planet. In a recent report, Lloyds Banking Group estimated that the London 2012 Olympics supported a £16.5bn contribution to the UK’s GDP. It’s unlikely that the Winter Games will ever produce such staggering figures, regardless of where they are located, yet the ”Olympic effect” is nonetheless undeniable. We believe that winter sports businesses have never been in a better position to take advantage of Olympic fever.

View the full survey results at www. theskitrade.com  Just over half of the winter sports industry members questioned have already included a mention of Sochi 2014 in their marketing or promotional activities this winter. 47.5% of respondents haven’t yet begun to harness the potential of the Games.  Of those respondents that have recognised the marketing potential of the Games, 83% are using social media channels to interact with, or share, the Sochi message. Operators are also using their own websites, or winter sports forums.

 42.5% of those questioned believe the Winter Olympics will have a positive impact on the European winter sports industry as a whole, while 12.5% believed that it’s too early to tell.  Whilst 32.5% of the winter sports trade does expect the Winter Games to have an impact on their business, the same amount does not. At rudechalets, Head of Sales Rebecca Kirby has already considered how the company’s chalet guests might react and respond to the Sochi Games. “Our guests tend to be dedicated skiers and snowboarders who are always up for first lifts, and live and work for their annual winter sports holiday. Therefore, I imagine they will be avidly following the Winter Olympics, and I suspect there will be an increased interest in our custom freestyle weeks, especially since slopestyle is making its debut in the snowboarding category. Guests will be able to keep up to date with Winter Olympic news via our Facebook and Twitter feeds, and we will also be showing the Winter Olympics on the TV in all of our chalets.” The French resort of Les Gets is home to a number of medal winning Winter Olympians, including boardercross champion Deborah Anthonioz. “It’s really important for resorts to embrace the Games” Les Gets’ Head of Press & Communications Chrystelle Felisaz told us.

”Regardless of where they are held, there’s an undeniable buzz in a resort that has produced successful winter athletes. We have many things planned in Les Gets to ensure our visitors can join in the fun with us.” At The Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead, Pete Gillespie is the Head of Snowsports. ”We expect Sochi 2014 to inspire everyone already enjoying snowsports to try new disciplines, such as freestyle or ski cross, and we run sessions so people can try these out with instructors to give tips and advice. Sochi 2014 poses a great opportunity for many people to get involved in winter sports, see the variety of sports available, and we are making plans to offer as many people as possible the chance to come along and give them a go.“ If we’ve done enough to convince you to embrace the marketing potential of Sochi 2014, you need to engage. Follow these social media accounts to stay up to date. facebook.com/sochi2014 twitter.com/Sochi2014 facebook.com/goskigoboard twitter.com/SnowsportEng facebook.com/TeamGB twitter.com/TeamGB

BASI Talking Italian

Fiona Young Awarded OBE

VAT Now Exempt On Junior Items

Are Accidents Bad For Business?

British Association of Snowsport Instructors (BASI) has just returned from a trip to Sestola in Italy where it met with the Italian Ski Instructors Association (Collegio di Maestri di Sci) to discuss opportunities for members to work in the country. The technical exchange was designed to share ideas bilaterally, gain a greater knowledge of the Italian system, and showcase the BASI product and its trainers. The Ski Trade’s Rob Stewart was

Fiona Young, Chief Executive of Disability Snowsport UK (DSUK), has been awarded an OBE in the New Year honours list. Young has been involved in helping disabled skiers since 1990, although it wasn’t until 2007 that the current organisation known as Disability Snowsport UK formed. Her work is now recognised as being a major contribution to disability sports, and has provided many opportunities for skiers to enjoy the sport that they might not have been able to previously. Young commented, ”I’m delighted and slightly shocked to receive this award and I’m pleased for the charity as it highlights the work we deliver.” DSUK are currently looking for volunteers to participate in their activity weeks (disabilitysnowsport.org.uk).

HMRC has recently conceded to allow junior and child-related products on Buff headwear to be exempt from VAT, after Buffera successfully campaigned to change the rules. Mark Sarah, Company Secretary, said “after several years of campaigning, presenting our arguments and building a strong case, we are delighted with this outcome. We have won our case and HMRC have conceded that Junior and Child labelled products are now VAT exempt.” The exemption of VAT on the Junior and Child Buff Headwear products effectively means a £2.50 decrease in the price to the consumer for kids sized Original Buff. The change was effective at 1 minute past midnight on 1 January 2014, and all trade customers will benefit from this whichever ordering channel they use.

The start of the new winter season served as a timely reminder that accidents do happen in ski resorts. Duncan Isaksen-Loxton, Founder of Medic52, has created a smart phone app to assist ski resorts in the management of mountain accidents, rescue missions, and data collection. An accompanying book titled The Smartphone Medic also demonstrates how ski resorts can use data to cut the costs of insurance premiums, and increase visitor confidence in a resort. “The book goes into great depth to show how collecting data in a more efficient way has a positive knock-on effect that can result in reduced insurance, better risk management and happier customers” Isaksen-Loxton told the Ski Trade. More at www.medic52.com.

there reporting from the event itself and spoke to Gareth Roberts, Chairman of BASI, who said ”this trip has provided us with a real chance to develop employment opportunities for our members. We’ve been able to show the Italians what we can do and how professional BASI as an organisation really is.”

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Issue 04 | January 2014

Patrick Thorne Columnist It’s a simple question, and one that needs a credible answer if we are to believe climate change predictions. Winter 2013–14 has, thankfully (and at least at the time that I write this in early-December), got off to a great start with heavy snow cover across the skiing world – Alps, Pyrenees, Dolomites, Rockies – the lot, pretty much. The shortest answer is that climate change does not always meaning global warming. But that’s inadequate really, because climate change usually does mean global warming. Perhaps a more accurate statement, therefore, is: global warming doesn’t have to mean less snow. It’s just that overall, in the longer term, on average, it usually does. Kitzbühel is a case in point. It’s often referenced in international studies on climate change as being a likely ”early victim” of global warming, because both its ski slopes are among the lowest in altitude in the Alps. But the resort can produce figures showing that over several decades, on average, it gets more snow than it used it. This is despite the fact that it estimates temperatures are up, on average, 1.5°C since the 1960s. It just tends to arrive a little later, on average, than it used to, then dump down a bit more heavily and melt away slightly earlier. That said, the past three seasons, this one included, Kitzbühel has opened weeks earlier than planned.

any gaps, although in the warm winter of 2006–07 it was too warm even on the mountain tops for the snow guns to work. It’s an approach that has the Austrian media wringing its hands every autumn – we’re the greenest country in Europe, we don’t waste energy, yet we’re spending millions, and using giga-jigga-watts of energy making snow in our snowy country the argument goes. But the boss of Lech’s lift company, Michael Manhart, told me that even in a normal winter, the Arlberg, and many other popular areas, get so many skiers these days that snow ”evaporates”, and snowmaking is required even in a good snowfall winter to top-up busy areas. Just across the border in Switzerland, a new official study commissioned by the Swiss government’s Environment Ministry has found that temperatures are likely to rise overall by between 0.5°C and 3.6°C over the next 50 years, depending on how rapidly climate change impacts the country.

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The study, carried out by the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology, found that temperature rises were likely to be higher in the Alps than the rest of the country. In terms of weather predictions, as a result of the temperature rises, ”summer days” are expected to ”almost double” in parts of the country, to 80 or even 100 days, and summer precipitation, as well as winter snow, drop by up to 20%.

Kitzbühel realised nearly 50 years ago that it’s not ”normal”, it’s colder than it should be for its altitude, while conversely the mountain top of the Hahnenkamm is warmer than most peaks at its height. It’s a microclimate, normal rules don’t apply, if they ever do.

In the winter ”frosty days” are expected to decrease dramatically, with ”up to a month less” winter by 2060, while extreme weather events, such as heavy precipitation, as well as periods of drought, will become ever more common.

But it’s taking no chances and spending big time, like almost every other resort on the planet, on snowmaking. Usually that bridges

So while I wouldn’t want to be a party-pooper, I have to say don’t be fooled by all the snow, the battle against climate change goes on.

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January 2014 | Issue 04

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The Ski Trade List 2014 The hardest thing about compiling this list was also the best thing. We have so many interesting and talented people working in our industry; we could take up our whole magazine with their names. Here are 20 people who have had an impact on our industry, from media, retail, tour operators, manufacturers and athletes; we’ve picked out some of the very key people at the top of their organisations and fields of expertise.

 Graham Bell Perhaps the most recognised face of snow sports in the UK. Bell has taken his talent as a broadcaster and maximised his media opportunities, forging a career that’s spanned almost as long as his 20-odd years as a professional ski racer.

 James Woods The new kid on the block will surely take the crown soon as he heads into the 2014 Winter Olympic Games this February in Sochi. James ”Woodsy” Woods could shortly become one of Britain’s top sports household names, let alone just a snow sports one.

 Mark Brigham Steering the ship that’s been afloat for 80 years this year, Brigham from outdoor and snow sports specialist retailer Ellis Brigham has continued to showcase some of the world’s best brands in its stores and online.

 Dominic Killinger InTheSnow magazine has grown into one of the most important snow sports publications in the UK, and Killinger continues to take on new challenges to grow his brand. His risk to start a new show in Birmingham was bold, and didn’t work out, let’s see if there’s anything else up his sleeve for 2014 and beyond.

 Damian Norman Now that VOS Media is owned by Telegraph Media Group, Norman’s roll as Managing Director

20 Individuals That Have Shaped Our Industry This Year

opens up new avenues of possibilities for him. With a dedicated ski publication, two ski shows, and the online section of The Telegraph ski site to oversee, he certainly has his job cut out.

 Frank McCusker McCusker took over the CEO’s roll at the Ski Club of Great Britain in July 2012, and has settled into the job at the helm of this established ski institution. The Ski Club is a vastly important central point for news and information for the public, industry, and media combined.

 Warren Smith The continued rise of Smith as a celebrity ski instructor has been steady and well planned. With a brand new DVD series launched this winter, and a new role on the Channel 4 show The Alpine Games, Smith’s status within the UK industry has just gone up to the penthouse level.

 Gareth Roberts BASI has grown into an organisation with over 6000 members, and Roberts plays an active role as Chairman to ensure things run smoothly between management and members. With the growth in professional snow sports instructors working abroad, BASI has an increasing responsibility to ensure employment opportunities, and international recognition, for its members remains a top priority.

 Simon Cross Crystal Ski is the biggest player in the UK snow sports holiday market, and Cross’ roll has recently been elevated to Group President, with a new MD coming in beneath him. With so many people choosing Crystal as their ski holiday provider, he must be doing something right.

 Matt Woodruff Snowsport Industries Great Britain (SIGB) is an organisation that represents the interests of its members, the majority of which are retailers, manufacturers, and distributors. Woodruff is President

of the SIGB, as well as heading up TDK Sales and Distribution, making him a busy man indeed.

 Arnie Wilson There are many fine snow sports journalists out there, and that list is for another day. Wilson stands out as the most respected and well-known of them all. He’ll soon be moving on from his Editor’s post at the Ski Club of Great Britain, but I’m sure we haven’t heard the last of him yet.

 Richard Cotter It’s certainly been a rocky road for retailer Snow+Rock in recent years, but preventing the slide down a slippery slope is boss Richard Cotter. He’s only recently started, but heading up the UK’s largest snow sports retailer means he’s automatically promoted into our list.

 Jason Summerfield Because Summerfield now heads up both the Atomic and Salomon brands in the UK, he in effect controls well over 50% of the ski and boot market in this country. His knowledge and experience within the industry is second-to-none, but he’s going to need it for the challenges and responsibilities involved with this job.

 Nick Morgan Le Ski might not be the largest ski tour operator in the market, but Morgan has built a strong reputation for a quality product focused on the customer experience. His fight in the French courts against the decision to ban ski hosting by tour operators has propelled him into the limelight, and done no harm to his reputation within the snow sports industry.

 Sally Bartlett When you walk into Bartlett’s ski shop you immediately feel excited about skiing. Maybe it’s the labyrinth of rooms towards the back, but it simply smells of the sport. Carving a niche in good quality equipment, Bartlett is the hands-on, public face of a business that will hopefully always

stay just the same as it’s always been.

 Chemmy Alcott There’s no doubting Alcott’s talent as a ski racer, and although luck hasn’t always gone her way, she continues to show that steely determination that can make true champions in sport. When my 4-year-old daughter recently told me she wanted to be Chemmy, I knew it was just one reason why she had to make this list.

 Betony Garner After several years at the Ski Club of Great Britain, and then a stint as Press Officer at the London Olympics, Garner was perfectly placed to take the roll as Media Officer for SIGB. Her task to promote snow sports by using the Sochi Olympics as a springboard makes her one of the key industry players this winter and beyond.

 Dave Edwards Tasked with setting up a new British Ski and Snowboard from the ashes of its previous incarnation, Edwards has managed to steer the organisation in a forward direction, and has brought stability and possibility, in what’s perhaps the most challenging of roles on this list.

 Tim Falke Snowsports England has certainly forged ahead in the last 12 months with ”considerable” funding, which is being used to promote the sport to a wider audience. Falke’s role within that process has been absolutely key, and we will watch with anticipation to see how the results pan out in the long term.

 Pat Sharples The British Freestyle Ski Team is going from strength to strength, and looking like it’s most likely to produce the snow sports stars of the near future. Sharples has been absolutely key to this, and his drive and passion for the sport, coupled with his apparent coaching skills, has clearly rubbed off on his young squad.

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Issue 04 | January 2014

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Trade Shows: More Important Than Ever not enough buyers get to these events, especially some independents. What impact does this have on the business? If the buyer doesn’t see new products on offer and their competitors do, that can be a major disadvantage. In the snow sports industry, you can’t just pop a pair of skis in the post as a sample to every potential customer. Could this be why ISPO saw an increase in visitor numbers during the 2013 show of around 4%? The organisers claim it was the biggest show yet, with 81,000 visitors attending from 109 countries. ISPO is difficult for some UK retailers to attend, but it’s an amazing opportunity to see the world of action and outdoor sports all in one place.

Rob Stewart Co-Editor In this world of online communication, isn’t it even more important than ever to have a physical connection to the products that can make or break your business? Consumers of snow sports equipment require knowledgeable staff to explain why they should buy a particular ski, snowboard, or

boot. Therefore, it’s crucial for retailers to fully understand what they’re buying, and who they’re buying for. There are many opportunities presented to retailers through the year, including sales reps, manufacturer events, and tests at ski slopes, ISPO, SLIDE, and the Snowsport Industries Great Britain (SIGB) Ski Test in Kuhtai. But there’s still some feeling in the industry that

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SLIDE is an extremely effective alternative, and for some, a great addition to ISPO. Matt Woodruff, SIGB President and Managing Director of TDK Sales, said to us ”what would happen if there was no SLIDE? It’s a great place to showcase all the products in one place and it works very well for TDK.“ From a buyer’s point of view, both shows seem to offer two different perspectives and opportunities.

Dave Whitlow from Ellis Brigham told us ”it’s great to see SLIDE at an earlier date. It’s now a very relevant show for UK buyers and even falls before some clothing order deadlines.” The breakdown of visitors attending SLIDE shows that the vast majority, 73%, are owners or buyers of retail outlets, with 71% of them interested in skirelated products and hardware. Scott Dobson, from Dynastar and Lange UK, thinks there’s genuine value for buyers attending shows. ”SLIDE is a great opportunity to present the UK industry all that’s on offer. It would be great to see even more retailers attend though.” Nick Anderson of Hermitage Agencies, which represents POC, Komperdell, and SkiA, spoke to the Ski Trade about both shows. ”There’s a buzz about ISPO which is not there in any other trade show. Although the number of UK retailers is not great I’m always kept busy running from one brand to another across the roof!” ”SLIDE is much more relaxed, which is great for business as you have more time to spend with each retailer. Even so there’s still a good vibe with all the latest shiny new kit for next winter on show. I think we are all still children at heart.”

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January 2014 | Issue 04

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Setting Standards in Chamonix The ChaletManager system means that we’re all singing from the same hymn sheet, in terms of our concierge service when our guests arrive. Our chalet staff will go through the intricate details of every group in advance of their arrival, identifying the tiniest of requirements. During our weekly meeting our teams in each chalet are required to log into ChaletManager to view all of their guests’ details for the coming week.

We wanted to bring a unique boutique style to the winter accommodation market, and at Cragganmore our chalets are very different to traditional ski properties. Our objective was to make people fall in love with Chamonix, as both a summer and winter destination.

Our guests are all high net worth individuals and we make sure that they have access to whatever they want during their holiday with us. Our full concierge service means we can offer our guests an extremely high standard of personalised service, and often when they arrive we’ll know more about their holiday plans than they do!

We also make several cultural notes, particularly for our Russian clients. We use ChaletManager to record the more typical guest details, such as guest numbers, any children and their ages, as well as any dietary requirements; but the system also allows us to record wine and whisky preferences, chalet temperature preferences, which cereals each child likes, any special celebrations or occasions, and much, much, more. There’s no guest detail that’s too

small for ChaletManager, and it’s easy for us to make a record of them. Our first recommendation to a start-up chalet company would be to invest in ChaletManager. We’re building our business, and our reputation, based on our capacity to remember the most detailed guest requirements, and if we were using a more manual system, we definitely wouldn’t have the capability to be so thorough. Details could be missed, opportunities to impress might be lost, and consequently our standards might not be so high. It’s an essential business tool for us. Our objective for this year is to encourage more of our returning guests to book directly with us. We genuinely do provide a better standard of holiday when we’ve been able to talk directly with our clients, and gain a thorough understanding of their likes and dislikes in advance of their stay. Travel agents play an important

Amie Postings looks at the R&D strategies at one of the oldest outerwear brands

Reinventing The Wheel With a reputation for technical innovation that spans well over 130 years, Helly Hansen is usually at the forefront of the European winter sports outerwear market. It can take between 2 and 5 years to get a new product from development to market, so the company’s research and development plans give us a fairly interesting indication of how the outerwear market is developing. Wintersport and Training Category Manager Philip Tavell gives us an update.

Admittedly, it’s more difficult to be innovative now than it was 20 years ago, and today’s consumer is more educated. They buy into the new technologies first, then the brand. At the same time it can be easier to communicate developments. Winning awards in sports magazines, for example, is a great way to create awareness of new technology.

How important is it for Helly Hansen to be at the cutting edge of innovation?

Base layers will feature heavily in our winter 2014–15 collection. We’re looking at a new product that’s a completely new construction, and a more natural way of dressing. Our H2Flow hits the market this winter, although we’ve had the technology and patent for quite some time. It’s a comfort regulator in jackets, which controls body temperature using positive or negative air pockets, and is 15% more efficient than a regular jacket.

It’s the cornerstone of our brand to find new ways to produce products that enable wearers to be outdoors. A lot of our innovation comes from our work with athletes. Often their lives are dependent on having the right equipment, but at the same time a new collection must have marketability too.

What new technology is Helly Hansen working on at the moment?

Does it become increasingly difficult to continue making breakthroughs?

Does the price of outerwear affect winter sports participation levels in your opinion?

Yes, the wheel has already been invented, but it can be made better.

Clothing is generally a small element when you consider the total cost

of a winter sports holiday. You do get what you pay for with technical clothing and outerwear, skiers and snowboarders must find a brand that they trust to perform for them. Not having someone to go on a winter holiday with is a more likely participation factor. New purchases of Helly Hansen jackets now include a free lift pass in resorts such as Chamonix in France, and Voss in Norway, to encourage new participants. Are you expecting to see the European winter sports market grow over the next 2 years? Yes we are. There are some favourable holiday dates this winter, which should have a positive impact on the market, while there’s also a growing tendency to do more physical activity. Cheaper airfares will give easier access to European winter sports resorts, and excellent snow levels in recent winters are likely to inspire people too.

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role in the winter accommodation industry, there’s no doubting that, but we feel we can be slicker when we communicate directly with our guests. We’re in constant contact with the team at ChaletManager, as we’re always thinking of new add-ons or improved functionality that we’d like to see on the system. For example, we offer over 200 different wines to our guests. It used to take a long time to find each individual bottle when creating guest’s bills, so we asked for the different charge elements to be listed as different sections, saving us a huge amount of time. That’s time that we can invest in maintaining our high standards, and growing our business.

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