Press release -
Swedish ski resorts present news for the season: Focus on families and the skiing experience
Improved skiing experience’s is the focus area when SkiStar introduces its latest developments in the mountains. Sälen is expanding its children’s area considerably, Vemdalen is installing a new Express 6-seat chairlift in the children and beginners’ area of Vemdalsskalet, a brand-new apartment hotel is opening on the slope in Trysil called Park Inn Trysil Mountain Resort, and Hemsedal has more activities for children and young people to offer. Sälen and Åre are extending their opening hours which means there will be more time for skiing. SkiPass holders will have access to a brand new ski community, MySkiStar, which takes the skiing experience to a new dimension. All SkiStar destinations are following up on last year’s hit with free skiing, ski rental and ski school for children during the Christmas holiday and all of January. New this year is also that SkiStar Plus gives better discounts than ever to early birds.
“With the entire country covered in snow the past few years, both children and adults have been able to enjoy downhill skiing and cultivate an interest in skiing. We feel a great responsibility to meet all skiing enthusiasts’ holiday expectations, regardless of their level of expertise. We’ve noticed that our guests appreciate the convenience and comfort of our investments in more accommodations in ski in-ski out locations. Other key areas in which we have diligently prepared for the coming season include favourably priced early-bird bookings and MySkiStar, a brand-new ski community that adds another dimension to skiing,” says Mathias Lindström, Marketing and Sales Director of SkiStar.
MySkiStar – a new skiing community
MySkiStar is one of this year’s biggest announcements. All SkiPass holders get access to lots of extra services that make skiing more fun, social and interesting. With MySkiStar, the SkiPass can be linked to a website or mobile phone via which SkiStar’s guests can compare their skiing performance to that of their friends, challenge each other and share their experiences on Facebook and Twitter. The service makes it possible for users to see where friends and family members are in the ski system. Ski statistics like vertical drops and calories used make skiing more fun and, since skiers can constantly monitor results, helps with training. Skiers are encouraged through competitions and challenges that reward the most active with special offers and awards. MySkiStar can be traced via skistar.com and SkiStar’s app.
Unbeatable offers
SkiStar’s popular Kidz Prize offer from last year was a huge hit so it makes perfect sense to bring it back this season too. From 18–25 December 2011 and 8 Jan–10 Feb 2012, all children* are SkiStar’s VIP guests, or as we like to say VISP (Very Important Small Person) at all SkiStar ski resorts. This means free SkiPass, free ski rental, and free group ski school. *Booking must be made before 1 November at skistar.com and is valid for children no older than 7 in Sälen, Åre and Vemdalen, and children no older than 6 in Trysil and Hemsedal. Bookings must include at least one 5-day adult SkiPass.
For many years now, the most economical alternative has been to buy SkiPass and book ski rentals via skistar.com. The new SkiStar Plus means that all early-bird bookings qualify for SkiStar’s most generous discounts yet, with a 10 % discount on SkiPass and 20 % on ski rental when you book no later than 15 October 2011.
“In preparation for this ski season, we’ve invested in generous offers for those who book early. We want to reward guests who plan in advance and hope that even more people will be able to enjoy a wonderful ski holiday. The online SkiPass prices are the same as last year and, when combined with other early-bird reservation discounts, a family can save thousands of Swedish Kronor (SEK) on their winter holiday,” says Mathias Lindström, Marketing and Sales Director at SkiStar.
SkiStar All and SkiPassport
You can now buy a SkiPass for the entire season at all SkiStar’s resorts (Sälen, Åre, Vemdalen, Hemsedal, Trysil and Hammarbybacken). A SkiStar-wide SkiPass gives all skiing enthusiasts more options to enjoy the diverse range of experiences that SkiStar resorts offer. Called SkiStar All, the card is perfect for those who want to get the most out of their skiing and ski the slopes at several or all SkiStar destinations during one season. Guests can change destinations at short notice, either due to weather or snow conditions, or for special overnight accommodation offers.
The new SkiPassport means that SkiStar’s weekly pass and season card at destination and SkiStar level are loaded with extras that entitle to discounts on everything from ski rental, ski service and ski lessons in the ski school, to SkiStar’s own clothes label, United by Altitude. Plus, the card is loaded with destination-specific offers from local partners for a VIP status both on and off the slopes.
SkiStar destination news
Sälen is designing a new children’s area and extending its opening hours for more skiing
Sälen continues to invest heavily in families and is building several new children’s areas. New adventures and fun games await children in Valle’s world (Valles Värld) in Lindvallen-Högfjället. A brand-new ski area for children is being added in Hundfjället with button lifts and adventure areas. The new troll Vintra will move in to Trollskogen and spend the days renting out skis, helping out at the lifts and teaching children to ski in the ski school. Most of all, Vintra will play with the children on the slopes and in the playground, Trollens Snölekland. When darkness falls, the adventure lights in Valles Värld and Trollens Snölekland are turned on, creating a magical experience for all children.
A happy announcement for all skiers is that Sälen is extending its lift hours, giving visitors the chance to ski between 9 am and 6 pm.
New lighting concept in Åre guarantees more time on the slopes
Åre has designed a brand new lighting concept for the coming season that makes the most of the region’s special history and mystery. The new lighting concept will be built in the area surrounding the VM-8 lift and adds a new dimension to night skiing. Because of the new lighting system, lifts will be open between 8 am and 4.30 pm daily with night skiing during Christmas and New Year’s holidays, and spring break between 6 pm and 8 pm.
Vemdalen is growing with new lifts, a restaurant and lodgings
Vemdalen is adding a new 6-seat chairlift to Vemdalen’s children and beginner area. The new lift, Skalet Express, replaces the current Sörliften and will, at 590 m and a vertical drop of 96 m, be Sweden’s shortest 6-seat chairlift. The lift offers a more comfortable, safer and quicker trip up to the top and is designed to make it easier for children and beginners to get on and off despite its speed. The area in connection to the lift will be restructured and given better lighting and snowmaking. New living accommodations and restaurants will also be added in Vemdalen, a total investment of SEK 130 million and the largest expansion in lodgings for a season in the 21st century.
New apartment hotel in Trysil
Mountain Resort Trysil is a new large apartment hotel opening in Fageråsen in Trysil. Centrally situated high in the mountains, the hotel offers the best ski in-ski out conditions imaginable as well as everything you need for a successful ski holiday. Mountain Resort Trysil will be a part of the Park Inn hotel chain and has 196 hotel rooms and 173 apartments, adding almost 1,000 beds in Trysil.
New adventures for children and young people in Hemsedal
SkiStar’s Experience was launched in Hemsedal last year. It is a concept that gives off-piste skiers information, challenges and fabulous adventures. This year, the selection of activities has grown to include Hemsedal Adventure Camp, aimed at children and young people who are already relatively experienced and want to improve their skills. The course teaches them how to use the mountain safely and includes an avalanche course.
For more information about SkiStar, please contact:
Mathias Lindström, Marketing and Sales Director, SkiStar
Tel: +46 76 125 62 92, email: ml@skistar.com
Karin Peterson, Media Contact, SkiStar
Tel: +46 70 584 61 25, email: karin.peterson@skistar.com
About SkiStar:
SkiStar AB (publ), whose Class B shares are listed on Nasdaq OMX Mid Cap Stockholm, owns and operates ski resorts in alpine destinations in Sälen, Åre and Vemdalen in Sweden, and Hemsedal and Trysil in Norway. The company’s market share in Sweden is 50%, 28% in Norway and 39% in Scandinavia as a whole. Its core business is alpine skiing, focusing on its guests’ complete skiing experience. Other business activities include accommodation services, ski school and ski rental.
