Who offers ski hosting?

Sorry Verbier - absolutely don't want a local ski instructor for this job.

We shall have to agree to disagree on this one I think.

Well you might have to pass up on ski hosting then and explore resorts yourself (this is what many people do anyway). If the law becomes more tight I doubt operators will continue doing it the old way - there are ways to enforce rules and stricter rules will be enforced. I have seen people being guided by ski school instructors and they didn't look particularly unhappy about it or dissatisfied. And I think majority of visitors won't even notice the change or bother about it too much. In any case "local ski instructor" is a vague concept as instructors come from many parts of Europe and they speak English too.

We'll see.
French authorities have been trying to stop UK tour operators offering ski hosting for the last 30 years without success.
This is just another attempt - may work, may not.

verbier_ski_bum wrote:Well you might have to pass up on ski hosting then and explore resorts yourself (this is what many people do anyway). If the law becomes more tight I doubt operators will continue doing it the old way - there are ways to enforce rules and stricter rules will be enforced. I have seen people being guided by ski school instructors and they didn't look particularly unhappy about it or dissatisfied. And I think majority of visitors won't even notice the change or bother about it too much. In any case "local ski instructor" is a vague concept as instructors come from many parts of Europe and they speak English too.

I dont think the issue is where they come from - what we (sorry to take the Royal) are saying is that the odd day out of hosting from a chalet guide is nice as an add on but having to pay for a full blown instrauctor is not whats required.

If I want a lesson (and I do sometimes) then I pay for an instructor

If I want to wander around the ski area on my own (and I mostly do)then I shall

If my TO offers me no cost ski hosting that they've been at pains to say is at my own risk and does not feature any instruction then I may choose to use this one or two days in order to see what the seasonaire staff have found that I may not have in my one week in resort and to have a good day's craic with some like minded skiiers (equally if the group is full of Swiss Bankers then I can leave them and go my own way - as could they if the role was reversed)

Not hard enough so probably they were not serious about it. But if they are this time it's pretty easy to implement and I am sure they will do it. Lets see. But it won't change much for general public - someone will provide the guiding for those wanting it - so I don't think it really matters.

Verbier_ski_bum,

clearly you have a different perspective on this, but I don't think you actually make it clear...

what is wrong (the specific problem) with a tour operator's host showing guests around a resort?

I do not need/want tips on how to ski, nor help how to get down a tricky icy patch. It's just a pleasure to ski with a group of people from the hotel, no pre-booking, no commitment. You join-in, you chat, you relax, you leave. (remember we are on " HOLIDAY" after all)

So what benefit could a locally employed "guide" add to a "hosted" day?

(it's important to remember we are talking "host" NOT "guide" or "instructor"; each have their own place.

I wonder how much ESF would expect their staff to be paid for a day hosting with no instruction involved?
I bet they'd not be able to offer hosting at a price people would be prepared to pay.

andyhull wrote:I wonder how much ESF would expect their staff to be paid for a day hosting with no instruction involved?
I bet they'd not be able to offer hosting at a price people would be prepared to pay.

Across the pond, it's common for the resorts to offer and fund "Meet the Mountain" ski hosts, who offer orientation to their guests. Perhaps this may be a model that France could use.