Key snowsports industry players announced as panelists for LISTEX forum with hot topics on the agenda                                                                                            

The London International Ski Travel Exchange (LISTEX), which takes place on 27th and 28th October in London, has announced a line up of key snowsports industry players on its panels for the LISTEX forum, which runs over both days. Press can attend the forum for FREE with interview opportunities available throughout the day. 

The forum has become a key focus of LISTEX, with discussions taking place around issues at the heart of the snowsports industry.

On Monday, the forum kicks off with 'Does UK Snowsports need a Unified Body?' where panelists will include Tim Fawke, CEO from Snowsport England, Tania Alliod, Marketing and Membership Manager at BASI, Frank McCusker, Chief Executive of the Ski Club of Great Britain plus DSUK and Snowsport Industries of Great Britain (SIGB) representatives.

Later in the day, one of the hottest topics in the UK snowsports industry at present will be discussed in 'Europe at Work'. The topic will examine current challenges for the industry with regards to cross border validity of qualifications, the Swiss minimum wage and the distinction between volunteers, hosts and professional guiding. On the panel will be Tania Alliod from BASI, Jonny Cassidy who is in charge of the Ski Club of Great Britain Resort Leaders, Rowena Phillips from European Snowsports in Zermatt and Chris Radford from Henry's Avalanche Talk.

Monday will also see two brand new ski innovations presented at LISTEX in the Tech Showcase. SkiFit, launched by Chamonix based physio Neil McLean Martin, is a new app aimed at getting skiers physically prepared for their holiday and at LISTEX there will be the chance to try it for yourself (bring your trainers!). Another new app set to revolutionise skiing and snowboarding is FATMAP, an ultra high-res 3D mapping tool, which can help, plan on and off piste days and includes top end GPS enabled ski navigation.

On Tuesday, along with forum topics 'The Sharing Economy – Threat or opportunity for snowsports' and the workshop 'Who are your customers and what do they really want?', 'Does Snowsports have an image problem' will attract strong debate at the end of the day. The forum will examine what are the biggest barriers that remain to new entrants into the snowsports market or those returning? Panelists include Colin Holden from British Ski and Snowboard, Dan Charlish from Snow-Camp, Dom Killinger from InTheSnow and Ian Brown from the Snow Centre.

LISTEX is the UK's only trade event designed exclusively for the snowsports travel market, and this year the event has already broken its target of sign-ups with buyer places almost full and just a handful of supplier places left, which includes resorts, hotels and ski schools. 

Attendees include large tour operators Crystal, Inghams and Neilson to specialist operators including, Zenith Holidays, Erna Low, Skiworld, Ski Famille, Oxford Ski Company, Supertravel, Kaluma, Scott Dunn, Ski Weekends, Altitude Holidays, Ski Club Freshtracks, Snow-Wise and Ski Solutions.

Suppliers in attendance include Meribel, Tignes, Val Thorens, Sud Tirol, Resorts of the Canadian Rockies, Crans Montana, Les Menuires, Madonna di Campiglio, Graubunden, The Chedi Andermatt, Swiss Alpine Resort, Hotel Maiensee – Arlberg, Hotel Le Kaila, Hotel Le Chaudanne, Falkensteiner Hotels, Hotel La Savoie and Spa, KABI, ESI, Ski Cool, ESI Ski School, Magic in Motion, Oxygene Ski School, Kicking Horse Powder Tours, Agence des Neiges and Easycabs Meribel.  

LISTEX registration is open and the dedicated website www.listex.co.uk provides a unique appointment matching system. Buyers and suppliers can search on pre-set criteria for specific attendees to ensure they are requesting their 30-minute meetings with their key target market.

Press can attend by registering at www.listex.co.uk/press. Sign up for press is free.

Forum attendance is £199.00 for 1 day or £299.00 for both days. Buyer spaces are very limited, suppliers can still register for the trade exchange at £499.00 for 1 day or £699 for both days

LISTEX full timetable and list of forums:

Monday 27 October

10.00 - Does UK Snowsports need a unified body? 

There are organisations that exist in the UK to represent the interests of the snowsports trade, the public, athletes, clubs and the grass roots of snowsports. . But does this structure allow for an effective representation on major issues, and an integrated approach to growing interest and participation for the benefit of all?

Moderator: James Cove

Panelists:

Tim Fawke, CEO, Snowsport England

Tania Alliod, Marketing and Membership Manager, BASI

Frank McCusker, Chief Executive, Ski Club of Great Britain

DSUK representative

SIGB representative

12.00 - The brave new world of content marketing

Whether you believe it's truly new or just new thinking on an old theme - content marketing is now a very important part of the marketing mix and there is no question of its impact on the other elements of marketing - from social media to PR to SEO. But what does it really mean, and how do you master it? Our experts will guide you through this brave new world with real world examples including examples from the snowsports industry and they will look at whether content marketing is actually the only type of marketing worth doing.

Contributors:

Iain Martin, Skipedia

Rob Stewart, Ski Trade

Arya Alatsas, Nuffnang

Krystelle Kubicki, Igluski.com

Kate Whittaker, Mad Dog Ski

14.00 - Tech Showcase 

Learn about technological advances and new products in the world of snowsports…find out more about the new SkiFit app, FATMAP – a new 3D ski mapping tool, and other new or clever gear in snowsports… 

Contributors:

Misha Gopaul and Sam Eve, FATMAP

Neil MacLean Martin and Rachael Lowe, SkiFit

16.00 - Europe at work

Whilst debate over European integration has intensified at national level, the snowsports industry has found itself at the centre of a debate relating to the cross border validity of qualifications and the distinction between volunteers, hosts and professional guiding.

The outcome of these issues could have wide reaching impacts for British skiers, yet more British workers are employed in Europe than ever before and many enjoy a very successful career working in Europe.

Our panel will represent a range of interested parties and the debate will concentrate on the key issues and look at what the UK snowsports industry can do moving forward for the benefit of all.

Moderator: James Cove

Panelists:

Tania Alliod, Marketing and Membership Manager, BASI

Jonny Cassidy, General Manager, Ski Club Freshtracks / Resort Leaders

Rowena Phillips, European Snowsports, Zermatt

Chris Radford, Henrys Avalanche Talk

18.30 – LISTEX press and networking drinks sponsored by Skiplex in association with Snow-Camp

A chance to network over a few drinks at the Star and Garter in Putney compliments of LISTEX and Skiplex and in association with Snow-Camp

Tuesday 28th October

10.00 - Ski Club Consumer Research and Crystal Ski Industry Report

James Cove will present a Q&A following short presentations of the reports from the Ski Club and Crystal and delve into some of the numbers and findings.

12.00 - The Sharing Economy - Threat or opportunity for snowsports?

Websites such as AirBNB and Snowswappers disrupt the traditional booking routes to accommodation most skiers have used for years. Spinlister now offers peer to peer rental of ski equipment. But is it just price that is driving the success of these new entrants or can traditional suppliers adapt and learn from them to their advantage?

Contributors:

Iain Martin, Skipedia

Rob Stewart, Ski Trade

14.00 - Who are your customers and what do they really want?

In this session we will look at the challenges of understanding your customers, differentiating your product, tactics on how to understand your customers and their needs better, and whether you should be trying to please all of the people some of the time, or some of the people all of the time…

16.00 - Does snowsports have an image problem?

What are the biggest barriers that remain to new entrants to the snowsports market or those returning? Have we already lost the Sochi effect? Is skiing still elitist, is snowboarding still only for the young? Our panel considers the evidence to assist everyone in the snowsports industry to understand the challenges in growing the market and retaining participants.

Moderator: James Cove

Panelists:

Colin Holden, Snowboard Committee Chairman, British Ski and Snowboard

Dominic Killinger, InTheSnow

Ian Brown, The Snow Centre, Hemel

Dan Charlish, Snow-Camp

Ends

For more information contact Betony Garner on 07779 801 691 / betonygarner@gmail.com

Notes:

ABOUT/ DIRECTIONS:

The London International Ski Travel Exchange (LISTEX) runs on Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 October at the London Rowing Club, Embankment, Putney, London, SW15 1LB. Nearest tube: Putney Bridge (10 mins walk) or Putney overland rail station (15 mins walk).