Introduction

1. Introduction Engaging Skiers What skiers really want to know and how to communicate effectively #respski #abta

2. Natalie AmosAssociate – Four Communications Engaging Skiers What skiers really want to know and how to communicate effectively

3. Responsible Skiing:Engaging your customers: How to communicate effectivelyNatalie Amos

4. About Four ... • Established 2001 – corporate, property, consumer, arts, sports and travel public relations – Four bgb • Four Communications: • First CarbonNeutral™ PR agency in the UK • First PR agency to achieve GoodCorporation status • Pro-active with clients, staff and society: • Pro-bono and charity partnership with Friends of Conservation • Achieved Investor in People status at first attempt • Tailored Future Leaders Programme and active graduate recruitment scheme • Annual Staff Awards programme to celebrate excellence • Staff bursaries towards further education and development

5. Our winter sports clients include ... Our clients include…

6. Responsible skiing in the media... Telegraph – 16 February 2012 Anzère, Switzerland: the world's greenest ski resort? ‘Does the air feel fresher? Probably not, but it might make sense if it did, because below, in the village of Anzère – where I have skied since I was a child – a clean-energy drive is under way.’ BA Highlife – November 2010 ‘Davos, Switzerland - The first ski resort in the Alps to receive status as an 'Energy Town'. Some 35 per cent of its energy comes from renewable power sources’.

7. Responsible skiing in the media... The Guardian, 6 February 2011 Green skiing in the Alps ‘A carbon-neutral winter holiday sounds like a contradiction in terms, but Werfenweng in Austria is a beacon for sustainable snow business’ The Times, 1 February 2012 ‘I find it insulting when we Brits lecture people in ski resorts on how to be green. Alpine societies are environmentally aware, and many rural communities only survive because of the ski industry.’

8. It’s not easy being green...

9. The priorities for skiiers and snowboarders • Good conditions • Good value • Scenery • Activities • Wildlife /nature • Après ski • Good food Other considerations • Do I have to fly or can I train or ferry? • Is the resort car free? • Can I sample local food? • Is the area protected ? • Can I meet local people? • Will I have an authentic, natural experience? • What can we do if we can’t ski?

10. PR case studies

11. Exodus - focusing on mixed winter activities • Exodus offers mixed winter activities – including shoe-shoeing, husky sledding, alpine walking • Exodus works with smaller resorts • Established best practice - basecampOulanka received a Vestas award in recognition of the work they do locally to benefit the environment • Encourage sclients to use local supermarkets and dine in mountain huts - share tourism across local suppliers • Works with organisations including PAN Parks

12. Exodus – communicating winter activities • We host press trips to introduce journalists to winter activities – highlighting that there is more to the environment than skiing

13. Club Med – activities and the environment • 27 Club Med resorts are Green Globe certified - aims to have all of its villages certified within the next two years • Club Med Peisey-Vallandry in the Tarentaise Valley is an example of good practice – the hotel provides guests with information about local culture and the natural environment • Club Med offers hiking in the area, detailed education and information about the region’s alpine flora and fauna • Guests are also advised on how to use water and energy in a responsible way • New resort Pragelato is a regeneration project • Pragelato is close to several Nature Parks (Val Troncea, OrsieraRocciavre) with protected fauna and flora

14. South Tyrol – focusing on culture, food & wine • South Tyrol has a target of 70% of the energy used in the region being renewable by 2013 •  South Tyrol is famed for its local produce, and the chefs and restaurateurs that work there are fiercely proud of their hospitality • Cars have been banned on Alpedi Si-usi/Seiseralm, the largest mountain high plateau in Europe • South Tyrol’s integrated public transport system offers visitors an affordable and easy alternative to hiring a car with special ‘mobilcards’ having been introduced including the mobilcard, museum mobilcard and bike mobilcard

15. Visit Sweden & Åre - family friendly resort SkiStar’s destinations shall: • Maintain the natural beauty of the mountain environment. • Design and select products and services in such a manner as to limit their environmental impact during purchase, production, utilisation and disposal. • Make every effort to continually minimise each significant negative environmental impact by reducing, in relative terms, the use of natural resources (materials, fuels and energy) and by reducing the amount of waste products (materials, emissions to land, air and water). • Continually improve employees’ environmental knowledge and awareness.

16. Some communication suggestions • Tell stories -travel is about people and places – talk about authenticity and experiences rather than just green ratings which might alienate skiiers • Talk about car free resorts and local food and wine and experiences • Be passionate – most visitors to mountain environments are passionate about just that – the mountain environment! • A picture or a video tells a thousand words –use local people to tell the story • Experience is everything – encourage visitors and journalists to get involved – they will then tell others • Remember it is a journey - say where you are and where you are aiming for • Get certified and consider nominating your company for awards • Learn from others – share best practice

17. Questions?Natalie.amos@fourcommunications.com www.fourcommunications.com

18. QUESTIONS Engaging Skiers What skiers really want to know and how to communicate effectively