Following the successful safety awareness initiative to tackle alcohol misuse in ski resorts which helped ensure there were no serious incidents last season reported by British tour operators, we have decided to continue with this campaign this coming winter as well as the campaign for the necessity of full travel insurance cover.
This campaign is a security and safety awareness campaign and the aim is to avoid accidents and deaths in ski resorts as alcohol can affect you more quickly at high altitudes and seriously limits your awareness of danger and cold.
Initiated by the Foreign Office and supported by police and rescue services, tourist offices and airports in the regions of Savoie, Haute Savoie, Isère and Rhône, Piemonte, Veneto and the major German and French speaking ski resorts in Switzerland, these educational projects can make a positive difference to people’s lives.
Lynda St Cooke from the Foreign Office’s travel safety campaign ‘Know Before You Go ‘ said: “This is the second year we have worked with our partners to create this safety campaign. It’s not about spoiling people’s fun, but reminding British skiers that prevention is always better than cure and that not having appropriate travel insurance can be a very expensive mistake. Even if you have insurance you can invalidate policies by drinking. Over the years there have been a number of preventable winter sports accidents where people have underestimated the effects of alcohol on their judgement and we all need to remember, it can affect us more at high altitudes.”
All major British tour operators including Crystal Ski, Inghams, Thomson Ski, First Choice Ski, Neilson as well as student specialists Off the Piste and Ski Alpine have agreed to collaborate. Projects range from posters in restaurants, bars, airports and other public spaces, as well as leaflets and display material in British tour operator owned chalets, club hotels and bars.
