Swiss ski area LAAX, which has built a reputation for its freestyle culture, has reported a 66% year-on-year rise in British visitors between January and April 2025 — a surge attributed to its bold efforts to diversify winter sports and welcome underrepresented communities to the mountains.
The uptick follows the launch of Soft Life Ski, Europe’s largest Afro-Caribbean ski festival, which debuted in LAAX last winter and drew over 900 travellers from the UK and beyond. Now, the resort is doubling down on its commitment to inclusion with two headline partnerships aimed at reshaping the future of snowsports.
Following its sold-out debut in 2025 — which sold out in just seven minutes — Soft Life Ski will return to LAAX in 2026 with an even bigger programme. The week-long festival, founded by Emmanuel Ojo, Kendrick Fordjour, Edmund Antwi and Mikun Olupona, blends high-altitude adventure with Afro-Caribbean music, culture and connection.
From slope-side DJ sets to après-ski parties with a twist, SLS is redefining the traditional ski holiday. “We created SLS because we didn’t see ourselves represented in the ski world,” says Ojo. “Now we’re building something that feels authentic, welcoming, and exciting.”
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