SkiStar Åre: Winter news at SkiStar Åre, 2012/2013 season

Known as the alpine capital of Scandinavia, Åre is a modern skiing resort with a long history and an international atmosphere. Trains to Åre stop in the centre of the town, and there are two international airports within an hour’s drive. In addition to wonderful skiing, Åre has a host of restaurants serving culinary treats, as well as an uncommonly wide range of shops, attractions and entertainment options. The skiing area extends from the child-friendly Åre Björnen in the east, through the challenging high zone and off-piste section around central Åre, to a paradise for carving enthusiasts on Tegefjäll and Duved in the west.

“Åre will be hosting three World Cup events for the first time this year. This clearly illustrates Åre’s breadth and strength as an internationally competitive skiing destination. We will also be focusing a little more intently on Duved this winter. Duved is an unexploited gem for high-class skiing, and by reducing the SkiPass price for the area, we hope that guests who do not need access to everything Åre has to offer will view this as an good-value option. The development of the award-winning and attention-grabbing light experience ‘In the footsteps of giants’ continues. As a new feature this year, guests will also be able to hear the ancient tales and sagas because we have installed audio equipment in selected areas,” explains Niclas Sjögren Berg, Destination Manager at SkiStar Åre.

Full power in Åre

For the first time ever, Åre will be hosting no fewer than three World Cup competitions. A women’s Alpine World Cup event will take place here in December, while in March the resort will be the venue for the World Cup in Freestyle (moguls). Finally, Åre will be hosting a World Cup event in Ski Cross for the first time. Last season, SkiStar Åre chose to apply well-thought-out lighting to the natural setting and snow to create the mystical world “In the footsteps of giants” next to the VM8 lift. The lighting concept, which has attracted international attention and won a number of awards, references the sagas that exist about the giants who were said to have lived on Åreskutan. This winter, more lights will be added as well as an audio element in the form of eight stations where guests can listen to sagas from ages past. Åre will also be focusing a little more intently on Duved this winter. Guests at the resort will be offered an even broader range of activities, along with a reduction in the SkiPass price on the Duved Card. As a new initiative this year, guests can buy a season pass exclusively for the Duved skiing area, which also includes Tegefjäll. This is a good, economical option for guests who do not need access to the full Åre range.

World Cup triplets
Åre is continuing its long-term focus on the non-domestic markets by arranging annual international events. This winter, for the first time ever, Åre will be hosting no fewer than three World Cup competitions. This clearly illustrates Åre’s breadth and strength as an internationally competitive skiing destination. Åre’s long tradition of arranging alpine World Cup events every year was expanded several years ago to include the Freestyle World Cup as well. And now, for the first time, Åre will also be organising a World Cup event in Ski Cross.

• Alpine World Cup, Women, 19–20 December
• Freestyle World Cup, 16–17 March
• Ski Cross World Cup, 14–17 March

Direct flights from Finland
As from December, Blue1 will be operating direct flights between Helsinki and Åre/Östersund Airport, which is just 50 minutes from Åre. Finnish guests have long been seeking a new option for travelling to Åre, and their dreams have now come true. The new route will provide a competitive option for travelling to Åre and is fully in line with Åre’s commitment to value-for-money transport and accommodation with a view to boosting internationalisation. There will be flights on Thursdays and Sundays from the end of December up to and including 1 April.

Åre focuses on Duved
This winter, Åre is focusing a little more on Duved – the largely unexploited skiing gem that offers guests high-class skiing. By lowering the price of the Duved Card, and by introducing a special – and 30% cheaper – season pass exclusively for the Duved/Tegefjäll, the organisers hope to make the area even more attractive to guests who are not looking to make use of everything Åre has to offer. Work is also underway in Duved to provide guests with an even wider range of activities this winter.

Host training 2.0
For the past five years, SkiStar Åre has been working to develop employee skills in the field of hosting and welcoming guests. The Internet-based course has been prepared in collaboration with Åre-based company Xpectum. The results of the guest surveys that are conducted annually indicate that the input in this area has borne fruit. In a move to make Åre even more welcoming, it has now been decided to raise the work to an even more authentic level by allowing guests to participate in the training course as well.

Audio added to popular light experience
Last season, SkiStar Åre chose to apply well-thought-out lighting to the natural setting and snow to create a mystical world of sagas on the slopes next to the VM8 lift. The light concept was established in collaboration with Ljusarkitektur, and it references the myths and sagas concerning the giants who are said to have lived on Åreskutan in ages past. This winter SkiStar Åre will be continuing the initiative and expanding on the lighting concept “In the footsteps of giants”, which has attracted international attention and won a number of awards. This season, Åre will be adding more lights and an audio feature so that guests can listen to stories about bygone times in Åre at selected points along the route. The piste has been extended to more than 3,500 metres this year, and is challenging for the title of longest illuminated piste in the world. “In the footsteps of giants” will be open during evening skiing on the VM8 and is included in the SkiPass.

In the heart of the hills

Igloos – 1,000 masl
A new attraction will be opening in the heart of the Åre skiing system this season. At the bottom of Åreskutan, in the centre of the skiing system and with a view out over the whole of the Åredalen area from a height of 1,000 metres above sea level, Åre Igloos will be establishing snow igloos for overnight accommodation, meals, jacuzzis and a variety of activities. An initial “test igloo” will be built on the site in winter 2012. Work to prepare the ground has already been started so that construction can begin as soon as the first snows fall.

More food on the hills
Restaurant 720 has a new owner, and the restaurant will be extended this winter to add seating for 100 extra guests along with a large terrace. Bramwells WigWam – which previously set up shop in Tegefjäll – is now adding another delightful eatery in Åre Björnen next to the Hermelinen lift mountains station.

Snowflake Club growing
The Snowflake Club is a firm favourite with parents of young children, and with 3–5-year-olds, and has long been a fixture in Åre Björnen. It is now moving into Rödkullen in Åre, too. The Snowflake Club gives parents the chance to go skiing on their own, while their children play and tumble under the watchful eye of highly trained staff.