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The Future of Ski: 2021-22 season predictions from Bramble Ski and Haute Montagne co-founder Natasha Robertson
By Tempus | 27 April 2021 | Travel
Will Covid-19 change the way we ski? And how will Brexit affect international staffing? Read this expert’s take on the ever-changing world of skiing
With lockdown still in full swing across much of Europe, it appears that the moment has passed for a decent run on the slopes this year, and many chalet and tour operators have been left in the lurch by the lingering pandemic.
However, those businesses looking ahead to next year have been given a helping hand by Bramble Ski and Haute Montagne, two of the largest ultra-luxury chalet operators in the Alps.
Looking ahead to the 2021-22 season, these two prestigious firms have offered their predictions on how the ski industry and the chalet landscape will differ from previous years. Natasha Robertson, the brands’ co-founder, looks at how Brexit and Covid-19 will influence next season’s ski trends, the traditional chalet model and consumer booking patterns.
INCREASED PERSONALISATION
With Brexit resulting in high EU social charges staff, this will add to companies’ operational costs. Bramble Ski and Haute Montagne predicts this in turn may lead to chalets offering increased flexibility and personalisation for guests.
Natasha Robertson commented: "UK companies will no longer be able to avoid EU social charges for their staff as enrolling them on a secondment basis will no longer be an option. This will make it too expensive for some companies to operate and as result, they may increase their rates or offer a pick-and-mix approach to service levels.
"Where traditionally we would see the chalet concept split between self-catered and fully catered which included chef, drivers, waiting staff and housekeepers, we may now see chalet operators offering a full menu of services and their corresponding prices so that guests can choose which services they would like and add this to their stay, offering them increased flexibility, affordability and personalisation.
"Our business model has incorporated these social changes for the last few years and so we will not need to implement any price hikes to accommodate these changes.”
INTERNATIONAL STAFFING MODELS
With Brexit influencing the number of British seasonal ski staff able to work in Europe, chalets will need to adopt an international approach when it comes to their staff, employing staff from multiple markets across Europe rather than relying solely on British staff.
Robertson stated: “It will no longer be as straightforward to employ staff from the UK but it won’t be impossible. Working permits will have to be organised for those intending to work in France and Austria in the same way as they are in Switzerland. We predict that this will mean more international teams working in ski chalets going forwards.
"At Bramble Ski and Haute Montagne, we do not rely solely on British staff and in fact employ more graduates from École Hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland than any other chalet operator. I think we can expect to see more operators follow similar staffing models and enhancing their recruitment tactics across Europe.”
COVID-19 INFLUENCES
The follow-up of COVID-19 restrictions from the last two seasons will result in higher 2021-22 demand from deferred bookings, flexible booking conditions and increased demand for self-catered chalets, as Robertson explained.
“There are already a lot of deferred bookings from the 2019 and 2020 seasons and so British guests will need to book early to avoid disappointment during school holidays. There will also be greater flexibility for guests when it comes to booking conditions and they will be able to pay the final balance much closer to the time of travel. Many more guests will likely book self-catered next season with companies also offering fridge stocking services to cater to this increased self-catered demand.”
WORKATIONS, BUBBLE HOLIDAYS AND LONG LETS
With remote working becoming the new normal, people can take advantage of switching their home office for a view of remote mountainous surroundings. Bramble Ski and Haute Montagne have recently experienced demand for long lets with families relocating temporarily and Robertson predicts this trend is likely to continue into 2021-22.
“During the 2019-2020 season, seasonal rentals contributed to 15% of overall sales, in comparison to 7.2% of overall sales two years ago. We even had some clients who decided to put their children in International Schools just for the season so whole families could relocate temporarily. We expect this demand for long term rentals in the mountains to be prevalent during the 2021-22 season with clients looking to escape city living, hunker down in remote surroundings and test the waters of relocating to the Alps.
"Our chalets offer guests ample space and privacy so they can stay within their bubble and enjoy the peace and quiet of the mountains. A lot of our chalets also come with home office spaces, and all come with still with high-speed internet so they can work and study as normal.”
THE FUTURE OF APRES SKI AND THE GROWING POPULARITY OF SKI TOURING
Covid-19 has led to an uptick in ski touring owing to ski lifts being closed during the 2020-21 season and après ski being on hold. Robertson predicts ski touring will remain popular next season and après ski will not return to full capacity until 2023, as she commented:
“In France this season, the lifts have been closed which has meant ski touring has been the only way of reaching the pistes and across the Alps there have been more people ski touring than ever before. With après ski on hold, everyone is adopting healthier habits in the mountains and spending more time outdoors exercising.
"The sport is becoming increasingly popular amongst cyclists and adventure enthusiasts who have no previous alpine knowledge but have high endurance levels. 2020 gave everyone time to appreciate the great outdoors and I think this piste touring boom will continue into the 2021-22 season and will attract even more winter sports beginners.
“I think après ski could return during the 2021-21 season in some capacity but there will be capacity limitations in place for any bars or restaurants and it will be for seated clients only. I think it will not be until 2023 that we see a return to après ski as we knew it.”
Bramble Ski & Haute Montagne are the Alps’ largest ultra-luxury chalet operators, with 130 chalets in France, Switzerland, and Austria. Both companies offer guests complete flexibility with self-catered and catered options, and BrambleSki offers the option of hiring out the chalets on a B&B basis as well as a unique 'Bramble Ski Pro' – a ski instructor concierge service which comes complimentary for two days with all catered stays.