KIDS ON SKI: The New Big Challenge – Getting Children Excited About Skiing At An Early Age
Yes, this topic will be a major concern for our industry in the future. How do we manage to get even the youngest children excited about the fascination of snow and mountains? What products will be necessary so that children - like their parents - will love this sport and see it as an enrichment of their quality of life?
This of course starts with the parents or grandparents, who can't wait for their child/grandchild to be put on skis after walking and talking. They are the ones who primarily pass this motivation on to the child, so they are the "promoters", so to speak.
It is very important to have easy access to learning this sport. A lot has happened in recent years with new products (e.g. conveyor belts, kids' parks, etc.) and new learning methods, so that even small children from the age of 3 can enjoy learning. But attractive offers for families must also make access easier.
It is to be expected that many small ski areas and lifts near towns/villages will increasingly struggle to maintain this offer. This development is already noticeable.
This means that future learning will increasingly shift to the higher-altitude ski areas. They will have to face this new challenge if they do not want to lose guests! The mountain railways and ski schools will enter into new partnerships to make the topic of "learning" more attractive.
We therefore need new approaches and initiatives to ensure that we can secure our “supply” through this emerging development.
And this is exactly where the KIDS ON SKI initiative comes in. A close collaboration between ski destinations and "players" in the mountain railway industry. These first steps in the snow are encouraged for the children. These children receive a 5-half-day ski course, equipment, ticket and accommodation (in the parents' room) free of charge.
This initiative was launched last winter with a pilot group from the ski regions: Aletsch Arena, Alta Badia, Grindelwald, Leogang, Madonna di Campiglio, and Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis.
This winter (extended pilot phase) the following will be added: Folgarida/Marilleva, Obertauern, Silvretta-Montafon, Pinzolo, Sölden, Winterberg. Well-known and important industry partners such as Leitner, Doppelmayr, TechnoAlpin, Skidata, Sunkid... are supporting this important impulse.
Of course, there have been other supportive measures in place for some time to get children excited about winter sports. And they are important and right.
The difference with KIDS ON SKI is that it is possible to measure how many children between the ages of 3 and 5 have actually learned to ski, and that this support program is covered by the media across the entire Alpine region. Only a large-scale, joint appearance will achieve the desired level of attention and penetration! The entire industry must devote itself to this very important topic so that skiing remains "in" in the future.
STATEMENTS KIDS ON SKI
Valentin König / CEO Aletsch Bahnen
Aletsch Bahnen AG has been committed to promoting snow sports for many years. For this reason, we are very happy to be involved in the Alpine-wide initiative "Kids on snow". We are convinced that this campaign will help to make snow sports visible to families with children internationally in the source markets. The aim of this introductory offer is to bring children into contact with snow as early as possible. This is of great importance for the sustainable development of alpine winter sports.
Mirjam Lanz (Head of Marketing LEITNER)
“As Leitner, we are proud to be able to support the “Kids on Ski” project as a partner from the very beginning. We want to make a contribution to ensuring that as many children as possible come into contact with skiing and winter experiences on the mountain and, in addition to the sporting activities, also get to know and appreciate the alpine environment. The “Kids on Ski” network, which combines destinations with accommodation providers and ski schools, guarantees a unique experience, optimally tailored to the needs of families.”
Lukas Heymich, Chairman of TVB Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis
The 'Kids on Ski' programme is of key importance for the tourism industry as it introduces the next generation to winter sports at an early stage and promotes interest in skiing in the long term. Families are looking for attractive offers for their children and through tailor-made, child-friendly programmes we not only create unforgettable experiences but also retain parents and future guests in the long term. By introducing children to skiing in a fun and professional manner, we ensure the sustainable development and competitiveness of winter sports tourism.
