Does all-inclusive always mean cost-effective?
THERE are so many
elements that go
into a ski package
– from airfare through
to accommodation, to
ski passes, lessons and
equipment hire – and that’s
without delving into meals
and drinks. Bringing all of
these together into one
package at a cost-effective
price can be daunting, so
there’s a temptation to
just opt for the all-inclusive
option, but this may not
always be the most budgetfriendly
choice.
Greg Taylor, md of Pure
Skiing, says with SA’s everchanging
exchange rate,
there is definitely merit
in looking at all-inclusive
ski packages, as agents
secure most items prior
to travelling. “But, on the
flipside, booking aspects
separately can amount to
less at the end of the day,
should the exchange rate
play along.”
What it ultimately comes
down to, says Greg, is
considering the needs of
the traveller. “Pure Skiing
has both all-inclusive and
tailored experiences, so for
us it’s about fitting what’s
right for that individual
client.” For example,
agents should ask clients
whether they prefer the
club resort vibe, or if they
prefer visiting different
restaurants and venues,
and this will guide their
choice.
He says the ease of allinclusive
makes it ideal
for families with young
kids and first timers, as
well as those who like to
relax in the hotel. “Much of
your time outside skiing is
spent in the same place,
so the toss-up is that you
don’t get to experience
the village vibe, yet you
have the convenience of
everything under one roof.”
Anthea Hay, managing
member of Peak
Adventures, agrees that
there is a market for
both all-inclusive and
tailor-made packages. “It
comes down to how many
of the inclusions you will
really use within the hotel
resort,” she says. “Taking
meals into consideration,
for example, I have bought
an excellent three-course
meal with a bottle of wine
for €17 (R242) for two
people in a top ski resort
in France. So, what does
an all-inclusive option cost
for meals at the hotel, and
are you paying for more
than you use?”
Again, it comes down
to the preferences of
the traveller. “Some may
enjoy the comfort of an
apartment, having coffee
and breakfast at leisure
without having to get
dressed and go down to a
dining area with hundreds
of others, while some
may find it important to
have unlimited drinks and
entertainment on tap in
an all-inclusive resort,”
says Anthea.
All-inclusive packaging
Not to be confused with
all-inclusive resorts, which
include drinks, meals and
activities, Anthea says the
all-inclusive packages are
put together by specialist
operators – who include
flights, accommodation,
ski hire and passes.
“Getting an operator to
book and package together
with discounts, the direct
transfers, accommodation
in the right area, the
correct ski pass, ski
lessons and ski rental with
relevant insurance, can be
cost-effective as well as
add value,” she says.
“Operators are able to
negotiate discounts and
pass these on to the
clients as well as having
everything pre-paid, saving
the traveller time and
money,” Anthea adds. “Ski
holidays are expensive
compared with many other
types of holidays. It is
senseless for a client to
book every aspect of a
ski holiday himself not
knowing what options
are available and what it
entails. It could be a totally
different experience with
value added if everything
was booked by a reputable
agent.
Destination choice is key
According to Greg,
the skiing destination
selected can have just
as much of an impact
on costs as the choice
between all-inclusive
vs tailored. “The prices
for drinks in France and
Switzerland are much
greater than Austria and
Italy. A beer in France
can easily be €8 (R114)
whereas Austria can
be between €4 and €5
(R57and R71), if not
cheaper in some resorts.
Did yoou know?
While most travel insurance policies cover leisure skiing, if travellers
are participating in a professional event or competition, they will need
to apply for an extension on the standard cover.
Three Austrian resorts for repeat skiers
Saalbach
As one of Austria’s largest
interconnected ski resorts,
there is plenty to keep skiers
of all levels happy, says Greg.
It also offers a great aprèsski
experience within the
setting of a charming village.
It has 270km of ski slopes
spread across all levels, with
140km of blue, 112km of red
and 18km of black slopes.
For experienced skiers,
there is also the option of
freeriding, also known as
skiing off-piste, with many
freeride parks, routes with
different levels of difficulty
and information points.
St Anton
With 350km of lift-connected
skiing, St Anton is a great
resort, which Greg says
has a great vibe. It receives
particularly high levels of
snowfall and, with 97 lifts, the
resort runs efficiently despite
the big numbers that visit
during the ski season. The
slopes are better suited to
skiers with more experience
rather than beginners.
Intermediate skiers are
spoiled for choice with a wide
selection of challenging blue
runs and tricky reds. There are
also great opportunities for offpiste
skiing.
Amadé ski region
Greg says Amadé’s vast
700km ski area means the
resort has something for
everyone. “Our club resort,
Robinson Club Amadé, has
skiing from the doorstep
with all lessons, hire,
meals and selected drinks
included.
It’s a great choice for new
skiers and new to most South
Africans,” he adds. That
doesn’t mean it isn’t a great
choice for those with some
experience, with 270 ski lifts
and 760 snow-guaranteed
pistes, all available on one
ski pass.
Lack of experience puts SA skiers at risk
WHILE a significant number
of South Africans enjoy
winter sports abroad, the
experience they have in
this environment tends to
be low, so the risk of injury
is high.
According to Simmy
Micheli, sales and
marketing manager
of Travel Insurance
Consultants (TIC), the
most common ski claims
received are knee injuries,
followed by ankle and
hand injuries and in
some cases, there are
more serious claims with
damage to the skier’s
shoulder or back.
“An interesting and
modern development is the
selfie injury,” says Simmy.
“Several recent claims
resulted from skiers being
injured while trying to film
or photograph themselves
on the slopes.”
Whatever the cause,
any injury sustained
while participating in
snow sports can ruin a
holiday, bringing it to
an abrupt end.
“Additionally, it can leave
travellers with exorbitant
medical costs, particularly
when visiting places like
Europe and America, where
the currency exchange is
unfavourable for South
Africans,” says Simmy.
“This is why it’s so
important to have a
comprehensive insurance
policy.”
Some recently paidout
claims included
R220 000 for a client who
was admitted to hospital
for a fractured clavicle
after a snowboarding
accident in Italy, as well as
R306 000 for a client who
suffered head and spine
injuries in a skiing accident
in Saalbach, Austria, and
who returned to SA with a
medical escort.
Case study: SA skier saved from hefty medical bill
A TIC policy holder,
Bernice Keuler, injured
herself while skiing in
Austria in March 2016.
She said: “On the last day
of our holiday, I was skiing
and on my last run down,
I became distracted for a
moment by another skier
doing a jump. I wasn’t
going fast at all, but I fell.
I was in so much pain.
Thankfully my husband
was skiing behind and
stopped immediately
to help. A nearby ski
instructor phoned the
medics and I was taken
to hospital.
“I was told that I had
fractured the fibula in my
left leg, and my leg was
put in a cast. I would most
certainly recommend that
travellers take out travel
insurance when they go
abroad,” said Bernice,
who was upgraded to a
business-class seat when
she flew home.
Book it!
Pure Skiing is offering a three-star, seven-night Christmas
package with rates from R22 800pps. The rate includes
seven nights’ accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis
at the Pension Panorama, six-day ski pass, six days’ ski hire,
10-day travel insurance policy, five dinners at different venues
and Christmas dinner. It excludes ski lessons, flights and
meals not specified. Valid for travel from December 23-30.
Two new ski resorts for Club Med
CLUB Med will open a new
resort in France, Club Med
Samoëns in December this
year. The family-friendly ski
resort is centrally located in
the heart of the French Alps
and will be Club Med’s new
flagship all-inclusive resort
in France, an hour from
Geneva airport.
There will be 420 guest
rooms, including family
suites and interconnecting
club rooms. Facilities will
include one main restaurant
with four different areas, as
well as a gourmet lounge
with a menu designed by
French chef, Edouard Loubet,
and skiers can choose
between two different ski
domains. Le Grand Massif
is well-suited to beginners
who want to ski amidst the
pine trees, while Flaine’s
high altitude is ideal for
advanced alpine skiing.
Club Med also opened
Club Med Beidahu – Jilin,
China in November last year.
Located in Jilin Province,
an hour-and-a-half’s drive
from Changchun Longjia
International Airport, the
resort offers 176 rooms,
all with views of the ski
slopes or Beidahu reservoir.
There are 19 ski slopes with
activities ranging from skiing
and snowboarding to Nordic
walking and hiking nature
trails.
Overhaul of iconic French ski area kicks off
SINCE 1945, Val d’Isère
has been one of the
world’s most popular ski
resorts due to its huge ski
area and traditional village
feel. Now, the resort
is undergoing a major
overhaul, with government
giving the green light for
the redevelopment of Le
Coin de Val in the centre
of Val d’Isère.
The redevelopment
project kicked off last year
and will continue until
2020. Currently, most of
the work is focused on
the extensive demolition
of the resort, while
construction will only start
in 2018.
The new buildings will be
constructed to recreate
the traditional design of
old alpine villages in order
to retain the aesthetic
feel of the region. New
shops and restaurants
will be added along with
two hotels and residential
apartments.
The Tower of Val will be
the central focus point of
the development, inspired
by the 14th Century
Montmayeur medieval
tower in Aime. According
to the developers, the
tower will “protect guests
from the vicissitudes of
the modern world during
their stay at Val d’Isère”.
With seven storeys,
the tower will include a
restaurant on the top floor.
Large car parks with
underground access will
allow for better traffic
flow below street level,
leaving the roads to be
pedestrianised. The charm
of Val d’Isère’s old village
will be reinforced through
the creation of narrow
streets and the use of
traditional stone, slate
and wood.
According to media
reports, Le Coin de Val
will cost around R2,8bn
and will see the addition
of 900 beds to the
resort, which will span
22 000sqm.
The new buildings
will incorporate
environmentally friendly
systems designed
to reduce energy
consumption, while
rainwater and melted snow
will run the sanitation
system and geothermal
energy will heat the hotel
rooms and apartments.
Did you Know?
Air France’s baggage policy allows Business and La Première passengers to check in skiing and other
sport equipment provided it weighs no more than 23kg and that its total dimensions are 300cm or under.
Passengers may need to get prior approval from the airline’s customer service department at least 48
hours prior to travel, particularly when travelling as a group with 10 or more passengers.
