SkiStar AB: ​A presentation of SkiStar news for winter 2015/16

Last winter, almost 10 metres* of natural snow fell at the SkiStar resorts in Sälen, Hemsedal, Trysil, Åre and Vemdalen. SkiStar invests continuously in improving the skiing experience, and in the run-up to the coming season we will be focusing in particular on developing facilities in Sälen and Vemdalen. It will be even easier to travel to Åre this winter, as direct connections have now been established from the three biggest cities in Sweden to Åre/Östersund airport. The international airport in Værnes, Trondheim, Norway, is already served by flights from a number of European cities, and there are direct transfer services from the airport to Åre.

“With direct flights from the three largest airports in Sweden, it will be even easier to travel to Åre from starting points all over Europe. In partnership with the international airport in Værnes, Trondheim, it has proved possible to shorten journey times – and our international guests now have even more options for travelling to Åre,” relates Mathias Lindström, Sales & Marketing Director at SkiStar AB.

* Taken from the SkiStar lift and slope report on skistar.com

MySkiStar – bonuses on all online purchases

The big news when it comes to the MySkiStar loyalty programme is, of course, the bonus points on all online purchases from SkiStar. Members can use their bonus points to help pay for skiing holidays purchased at skistar.com and/or to buy clothes and gadgets from skistarshop.com

MySkiStar is closing in on 400,000 members – many of whom already find it almost indispensable on the slopes. Over and above the bonus scheme, membership of MySkiStar provides access to a wealth of benefits and entertaining functions:

• New! Bonus on all online purchases
• New! MySkiStar Snow Park feature
• Special offers and discounts
• Personal skiing statistics
• Family challenges and pins
• Positioning, and the opportunity to see where family and friends are
• Training tips and calorie consumption statistics
• Free WiFi in SkiStar skiing areas*

MySkiStar Snow Park feature – ‘share your first 180’

This winter, SkiStar will be launching a truly remarkable service at the SkiStar Snow Parks in Åre (Åre Ambilight Snow Park), Vemdalen and Sälen. Guests who have linked their SkiPasses to MySkiStar can have their skiing at the park captured on film.Here’s how it works: the guest presents his/her SkiPass to the reader at the start of the run-in to the jump, a fixed camera films the run and the video clip is published on the guest’s MySkiStar profile just a few minutes later. The guest can then save the clip from his/her profile and share it via social media. This is the first stage of a major SkiStar push aimed at the youth target group.

“The MySkiStar Snow Park feature is designed to inspire young skiers to develop their skills at our parks and to participate in the social dimension of park skiing. The feature allows guests to see the results of their run/jump almost immediately. The culture that surrounds park skiing has a lot to do with having fun and skiing together with friends. The feature makes it simple for guests to share their delight at having learned a new jump or trick directly with their friends on the slopes – and with family and friends at home via social media updates,” explains Fredrik Rydén, Events and Parks Manager at SkiStar AB.

News from Valle’s World

Valle is a hugely popular snowman, and it has not escaped anyone’s attention that long queues for hugs quickly form as soon as he meets his favourite skiers: the children. Since last year, Valle’s own hits on Spotify have been streamed more than 260,000 times, he has shared over 100,000 hugs, and he has sold in excess of 6,000 copies of his book of fairy tales.

To increase the opportunities for all children to enjoy fun and games, go skiing and share hugs with Valle, Sälen will be organising special skiing parades with Valle, as well as additional shows at Valles Världshus (Valle’s restaurant) in the Experium centre. Valle’s own music studio facilities are being constructed both on Valletorget in Lindvallen and in the Trollskogen Hundfjället. Valle will also be getting two new ski worlds: one in Tandådalen – as part of a major new development of Tandådalstorget and one in Rödkullen, the popular family area in Åre.

SkiStarshop.com – Delivery to accommodation in the mountains

SkiStar launched its major initiative in the area of e-commerce for mountain sports last winter, and the service has now been improved even further. Not only can you now use MySkiStar bonuses earned to make online purchases at skistarshop.com, but we are also offering to deliver the products you buy to the mountain accommodation you have rented in Sälen.

“Making things simpler and more convenient for our guests is our goal and ambition as a company. This new initiative does just that for our guests, who no longer have to pack their cars with items purchased from us – leaving more room for food and other items,” explains Joakim Landgård, the man responsible for skistarshop.com.

News in SkiStar’s skiing areas and at the resorts

The SkiStar skiing areas in Sälen, Åre, Vemdalen, Hemsedal and Trysil maintain a consistently high standard of quality, and we work tirelessly to improve and develop the skiing available so as to offer our guests the best possible experience. Once again this winter, we will be presenting a range of new initiatives in the skiing areas at the different resorts and destinations.

Åre – Simpler to travel to Åre from Europe

This winter, skiing enthusiasts can fly directly to Åre/Östersund from Sweden’s three largest airports, Stockholm, Malmoe and Gothenburg. The international airport in Værnes, Trondheim, Norway, is already served by flights from a number of European cities, and there are direct transfer services from the airport to Åre.This improves connections from departure points all over Europe for everyone looking to spend some time in Åre – the World Championships 2019 host – this winter.

The fact that Åre has been selected to organise World Cup competitions 99 and 100 during the official opening weekend (Åre Ski Opening) on 11–13 December is proof in and of itself that Åre is a truly world-class skiing resort. During the weekend, the leading brands in snowboarding and Alpine skiing equipment will be showcasing their newest ranges in a classic skiing test, and the local restaurants and amusement organisers will also be open.

Åre, which is rightly famous for its top-class skiing, cuisine, amusements and extraordinary urban ambience, is now adding a new, highly awaited food concept. Bistrologiskt (Bistrological) is the name of the new restaurant at the top station of the cable car run. In the newly renovated restaurant, hungry skiers will be able to tuck into hearty meals that are 100 per cent organic. Excellent organic dishes combined with a truly magnificent view mean that Bistrologiskt is sure to fit seamlessly into Åre’s existing range of cafés and restaurants. The standard at the restaurants in Åre is on a par with that found in the biggest cities, with no fewer than eight eateries listed in the White Guide. The treasures of the Jämtland pantry lie close to the hearts of many of the chefs in Åre.

There can be no doubt that Valle has taken Åre’s youngest guests – and their parents – by storm, and the loveable snowman will now be getting his very own ski world in Rödkullen. Here, Valle will be designing his own adventure track – with plenty of surprises around every corner! He will also be building a mini-park for the little ones, where young children can try taking their first jumps and have a go at skiing on small boxes.

Work is also continuing on the Åre Ambilight Snow Park, where a new 260-metre line will be installed, featuring a new rail section and new jumps.

For additional information and news about Åre, see: skistar.com/en/Are/About-Are/

Trysil – An hour closer to Gardermoen Airport, Oslo

The recently completed four-lane motorway (E6) from Oslo to Kolomonen makes it possible to shave about an hour off the journey from Oslo to Trysil.

The wooded ski runs in the Vihammerskogen woods were a huge success last winter. Development continues, and the coming winter will bring improved accessibility from the area around Fageråsen, for example.

For additional information and news about Trysil, see: skistar.com/en/Trysil/About-Trysil/

Hemsedal – New Ski Lodge for winter 2017

This summer saw the start of the project to develop and build a new lodge in Hemsedal. Around 100 new and modern apartments, perfectly located in Hemsedal Ski Centre, are scheduled for completion by the end of winter 2017. The lodge will comprise approx. 600 beds, garages, ski storage facilities, restaurants, shops, activities and the first apartments designed by Valle himself – a unique feature in the SkiStar accommodation range.

For additional information and news about Hemsedal, see: skistar.com/en/Hemsedal/About-Hemsedal/

Sälen – Major project in Tandådalen

A new express lift, car-free skiing square, new children’s area and an expanded range of restaurants are just some of the new attractions in Tandådalen this winter. The loyal old workhorse ‘Panorama Express’ will be replaced by a new 6-chair express lift, and Tandådalstorget will become a car-free area. This will naturally result in a completely new town square ambience with great potential for skiing guests. The new express lift will be supplemented by a new children’s area – Valle’s Ski World – with carpet lifts and other attractions for our youngest guests.

On the big hill (Stora Backen) in Tandådalen, the lighting fixtures will be replaced with new, modern LED lights and snow production at Tandådalstorget will be automated. The Tandådalen park area will be moved from the Northern Skiing Area to Gusjöbacken hill at Östra Tandådalstorget, a development that will make it possible to build a safer and broader range of jumps and features that are also suitable for children and young people keen to learn park skiing.

The restaurant at Tandådalen mountain hotel is being renovated. The familiar restaurant concept O’Learys will be moving in on the ground floor, while the upper storey will be converted into a lodge/lounge setting with a view out over Tandådalen and Hundfjället. Drawing inspiration from Lindvallen SkiLodge, the upper storey is intended to serve as a ‘welcoming living room’ for all skiing guests in Tandådalen, with food service and a bar.

The lower storey of the ski shop on Tandådalstorget Square is being converted into a new Wayne’s Coffee shop with 120 seats. The café will also have a sun terrace that will provide a magnificent view out over both Tandådalen and Hundfjället and have room for around 100 seated guests. The reception area and SkiPass sales desk will be integrated into the café, and there will be an adjoining lobby section where guests can sit down and relax for a while.

In addition to the expansive project in Tandådalen, the Lindvallen snow system is to be upgraded with ten new, energy-efficient snow cannons. In order to make the entire SkiStar Sälen skiing area even more accessible, investments are being made in an additional express coach to operate daily along the Hundfjället–Lindvallen route.

For additional information and news about Sälen, see: skistar.com/en/Salen/About-Salen/

Vemdalen – New express lift, the sixth in Vemdalen

Vemdalen is continuing its comprehensive development journey, and this winter, the Hovdebanan lift is to be replaced by a new six-chair express lift: Hovde Express. This will double lift capacity and help create even better and more modern skiing facilities. With this investment, around SEK 320 million has now been pumped into Vemdalen’s three skiing areas – Klövsjö/Storhogna, Björnrike and Vemdalsskalet – over the past ten years. These investments have also benefited the expansion of accommodation and service options. A new children’s hill is being added to the children’s area on Vemdalsskalet, and another new hill with a new, 66-metre-long carpet lift is being established in the Björnrike children’s area. Also in Björnrike, Vemdalen Snow Park is being developed to include new features and lines.

Over and above the development in the Vemdalen skiing area, new accommodations is being built – with approx. 650 new beds being administrated via SkiStar. Near Vemdalsskalet a new SkiLodge is being built featuring 27 omfortable apartments, which are being joined with the new restaurant constructed last year. In addition, fourteen new apartments with ‘ski in and out' facilities are being built close to the West Express lift. Additional residences are being built in Klövsjö/Storhogna, while in Björnrike, the Blästervallen area near the Grizzly Express lift will be expanding to include more accommodation.

For additional information and news about Vemdalen, see: skistar.com/en/Vemdalen/About-Vemdalen/

Facts and the latest news from SkiStar and our destinations

In addition to the above, you can find plenty more facts, more information and more news in English on skistar.com, where you can also check out the diary of events. Keep up with the latest news from SkiStar in our news room (in English) on Mynewsdesk, where there are new images (which you are free to publish) as well as information from us. It is also here that you can register your email address and have the latest press releases sent direct to your inbox.

mynewsdesk.com/uk/skistar_ab

For additional information, contact:

Linda Morell, PR Manager at SkiStar AB
Tel. + 46 76 118 60 02
Email: linda.morell@skistar.com