JUNE ISSUE, 2014 ople
inside
COMEDY FESTIVAL 2 Swag of comedians set to hit the slopes.
From Russia with love
ICY PLUNGE 3 Resort chief executive officer helps brings in the season.
THE region’s Olympic athletes, including Mt Beauty skiers Phil Bellingham and Esther Bottomley, have inspired a new breed of hopefuls with their efforts in Russia. Local resorts and ski lift operators reported an increase in sales during the two weeks of February’s Sochi Olympics and are predicting big things for the new season. Read about Esther’s efforts on page 4.
Ready for season By GREG O’CONNOR
ALPINE AWARENESS 6 New compaign to attract more visitors to resorts.
index Haley’s views
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Calendar of events
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Alpine real estate
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RESORT and ski lift operators are looking forward to a big season across the region, no matter what Mother Nature provides. Falls Creek Ski Lifts brand manager Anthony O’Shea is “quietly confident” of a strong season, with big events planned for the coming months. “Last year was challenging for all resorts, but we worked hard and made it a success,” he said. “Looking back, we had a lot of good snow days and from mid-July a pattern where we had fresh snow every week. “It looks like a slow start this year but history shows there’s no correlation be-
tween the weather in May to what we get later in the season.” Mr O’Shea said operators would continue to invest in snow-making equipment to ensure resorts provided good quality conditions for snow-goers. “We’re automating our snow-making and can produce several Olympic pools worth of snow every half hour,” he said. “We can make even more snow more quickly, of the same consistency as falling snow. “There’ll be better conditions, better maintenance, and we’ll be carrying on the good work we did last year.” Mt Hotham Skiing Company resort brand manager Connie Lurger shares
the confidence for the coming season. “We need a bit more help from Mother Nature but we’re feeling good about the season ahead,” she said. “I’d rather have the warm weather out of the way now than in the middle of the season. “We have some exciting stuff in the pipeline and great offers to encourage more visitors.” Falls Creek Chamber of Commerce president Graham Parker said the region’s businesses always took a positive approach to each snow season. “We always think positively – it will be the best ever, my best ever for sure,” he said. “We have a great group of proactive,
positive operators who make the most of what each season throws at them. “We’re at fever pitch at the moment and can’t wait to get the season underway.” Mr Parker, who has skied Falls Creek every season since 1968, said a slow start to the season wasn’t the end of the world for resort operators. “I was once asked by a newspaper reporter about the prospect of not having snow for the official opening,” he said. “I jokingly told him, “When you’re meeting new friends and it’s a party weekend, the last thing you need is snow. You can’t do it all.” “Of course, that’s the line he went with.”
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