SCANDINAVIA

SCANDINAVIA

Norway and Sweden’s marketing alliance is targeting solid growth in the two countries’ ski programmes.

NORWAY and Sweden are looking to put their countries firmly on the winter sports map with the launch of a second joint Ski Scandinavia marketing programme.

The project, which pulls on the resources of the Norwegian Tourist Board, Swedish Travel and Tourism Council and the ski resorts of Geilo and Hemsedal in Norway and Åre in Sweden, is aimed at raising awareness of the ski facilities in the two countries, rather than trying to sell each individually.

Swedish Tourist Board marketing manager Camilla Jennings said: “We are our closest ski competitors but now also the closest co-operators.

“We hope that if people go skiing in Sweden one year, they will try Norway the next time, or vice-versa.”

Norwegian Tourist Board deputy director Heidi Dahl added: “People think of Scandinavia as one area so we have a better chance promoting ourselves together. We are not the Alps but we have a good product for families, beginners and intermediates.”

All the resorts are keen to emphasise their focus on the family market, with children’s ski schools and instructors who speak good English.

At Åre, a young children’s ‘ski paradise’ opens this winter with a new forest slope adjacent to a fun park.

Other selling points include the uncrowded slopes, night skiing at no extra cost at certain resorts and the range of winter activities available at low cost.

The marketing budget, which has not been made public, has been used to produce a Ski Scandinavia brochure which has details of six Norwegian resorts and Sweden’s largest resort of Åre.

The budget has also funded initiatives, such as direct mailshots, in co-operation with operators, and the development of the Web site, started last year, which has links to ski operators offering Scandinavia.

In addition, the money is being used to pay for the tourist boards and resorts to attend this month’s crop of regional ski shows in Brighton, Manchester, Southampton and London.

Dahl said Norway currently gets around 13,000 UK skiers, while Sweden received about 2,000 last year. The Ski Scandinavia project is targeting a total 30,000 from the UK by 2002.

Both countries believe the target is achievable, especially with Thomson deciding to launch a ski programme to Norway this year and Neilson entering the Swedish market.

Thomson is offering the resort of Geilo, which is also featured by Crystal and Neilson, and Beitostolen, just north of Lillehammer, which is new to the UK scene. It has almost 200 miles of cross-country trails and 15 downhill pistes.

The operator is offering a charter to the resort, flying in to Leirin Airport, 30 minutes away.

Neilson is offering Åre for its first Swedish programme. Prices lead in at £415 per person for seven nights’ self-catering at the Arefjallby Apartments, departing January 14.

Åre is already offered by Crystal Holidays, while Bridge Travel Service is featuring the resort in its Scandinavia programme this winter to offer a winter experience-style holiday.

&#42 The Web site address is www.skiscandinavia.com

Family focus:many of the resorts are keen to emphasise their child-friendly facilities

Who goes where

Åre: Crystal

Neilson Ski

Bridge Travel Service

Astons Ski Holidays

Frango Travel

geilo: Crystal

Inntravel

Neilson Ski

Waymark Holidays

Thomson Ski

hemsedal: Crystal

Neilson Ski

lillehammer: Neilson Ski

Waymark Holidays

Inntravel

voss: Crystal

beitostolen: Thomson

gaustablikk: Taber Holidays