Ski resorts criticised for snow-making facilities
Responsible Travel has hit out at winter sports resorts that use snow canons to provide guaranteed skiing, saying that snow-making is expensive and unsustainable.
Instead, the operator is urging low-lying resorts to invest in alternative activities at either end of the ski season to avoid trying to artificially create snow.
It said it had seen an 81% rise in sales of alternative winter holidays, mainly based in Lapland, Transylvania and Iceland. These include a husky safari in Finland and a trip to see the Northern Lights.
Responsible Travel CEO Justin Francis said: "There is no need for fake, artificial snow to satisfy our winter holiday needs. Our bookings suggest skiers want to be in~wild places where the snow is not produced by cannons and where they can have a more real, authentic winter adventure.
"Not only is this a more environmentally friendly way to enjoy some of our world’s most pristine natural environments but is also proving to be very popular."
It cited a BBC report that suggested 50% of Swiss slopes and 70% in Austria can now be ‘snowed’ artificially and seventy percent in Austria.
"Snow is already produced on an industrial scale with industrial sized environmental costs," it added.
"The winter package holiday market is forcing low lying ski resorts into expensive unsustainable methods to produce snow.~ We strongly urge them to look at other activities they can offer at either end of the ski season to avoid trying to artificially create snow."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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