Sports and outdoor activities

Resorts now propose numerous alternatives to traditional downhill skiing. Valfréjus, a resort in the Savoie region of the French Alps, offers courses in speed riding, an activity that combines skiing and paragliding. Equipped with a type of small paragliding sail, skiers can jump and fly several metres above the snowy slope.

Source: Ataka Speedriding

The Smugglers’ Notch ski resort in Vermont offers airboarding to thrill seekers. Wearing a helmet and lying flat on their stomachs on an inflated sled, airboarders must learn to use their body weight to steer headfirst down the slope. In fact, a short instructional clinic is mandatory for first timers. The practice of this sport is outlawed in many resorts, because of the risk of collision with skiers and snowboarders. Other resorts allow it only in specially marked areas.

Airboarding. Source:  Smugglers Notch Vermont

Snowscooting is another sport that is becoming more popular in Quebec ski areas. Similar to a snow bike without a seat, a snowscoot is a two-piece snowboard, held together with a frame. Snowscooters use the handle bars to steer down the hill.

Snowscooting. Source: Canoë

 Although better known in Europe, ski joring, which combines skiing and horseback riding, is also practised in Quebec, notably at the Ferme L’Auteuilloise in Laval. Skiers, wearing downhill boots and skis, are pulled by a horse in this form of “equestrian skiing.”

 Ski joring. Source: Le Grand Club

In Switzerland, the floodlit Preda-Bergün toboggan run is a winding six-kilometre toboggan run connecting the villages of Preda and Bergün. Tobogganers take the train to reach the top of the run.

Source: MySwitzerland.com

Taxi skiing (sometimes called adapted or seated skiing) enables non-skiers and those with reduced mobility, such as those who used to ski but no longer can, to hit the slopes and enjoy the alpine scenery while comfortably seated in a ski-chair guided from behind by an instructor. Taxi skiing is offered at Mont Blanc in the Savoie region of France. The short video below illustrates the concept in action.

Events and locales celebrating winter

Innovative urban events such as Igloofest, the Montreal High Lights Festival and the many activities organized by the Québec Winter Carnival help create a festive atmosphere that gives winter destinations a competitive advantage.

Some orchards invite visitors to pick apples in the winter, for the production of ice cider, making it into a family-oriented activity a little like the U-pick system popular in the fall. For example, for a few weekends in January, the Vergers Lafrance in the Lower Laurentian town of Saint-Joseph-du-Lac offer cross-country ski trails, toboggan runs and special activities to members of the public who help harvest the apples.

In Switzerland, the Portes du Soleil ski area, which includes 12 different resorts, will host the second edition of the Festival des concerts sauvages, which has been renamed the Rock the Pistes Festival. During this event, French pop singers perform on temporary stages built right on the ski slopes. The exact time and location of these free shows are texted to festival-goers, the day before.

Source: Freeride Co

Christmas fairs have gradually become a tradition and a major event for many Quebec municipalities. They showcase regional products, provide a boost to the surrounding area, and create an enchanting ambiance that attracts locals as well as tourists.

Source: Marché de Noël et des traditions de Longueuil

Any discussion of winter in Quebec must, of course, include Quebec City’s Ice Hotel, which is rebuilt every year and is always very popular. This year, Montreal is following suit with an ambitious plan for a Snow Village on Ile Sainte-Hélène. In addition to an ice hotel, the village will feature an ice chapel, heated glass igloo, meeting rooms and a restaurant.

Adjusting prices along with the temperature

Some businesses are making winter weather conditions part of their marketing strategy. For example, the Mt. Bachelor ski resort in Oregon has implemented a sliding price scale that varies according to precipitation, wind, visibility, temperature and number of lifts in service. A non-holiday lift ticket ranges in price from $53 to $73, depending on the weather forecast. The price is set the day before and then posted on the resort’s Website and in social media.

Take advantage of winter

A Quebec winter lasts four to six months, more than 200 cm of snow falls, and average January temperatures often dip below -10°C. We can either suffer the consequences, hibernating until the return of warm weather, or we can tackle it head on, promoting winter culture and making it a powerful brand of our tourism industry.

Sources:

- Bissonnet, Jacques et Francine Plourde. «Montréal aura son hôtel de glace», Radio-Canada.ca, 27 septembre 2011.

- Demers, Alain. «Initiation au snowscoot à Sutton», Canoe.ca, 15 février 2011.

- Folie-Boivin, Émilie. «Un jardin de givre», Le Devoir.com, 8 janvier 2010.

- Laflamme, Isabelle. «Plus c’est froid, moins c’est cher», Canoe.com, 10 janvier 2011.

Websites:

- Ataka Speedriding

- Rock the Pistes festival

- Hôtel de Glace

- La Ferme L’Auteuilloise

- The Atlas of Canada

- Les vergers Lafrance

- Marché de Noël et des traditions de Longueuil

- Mt. Bachelor

- MySwitzerland.com

- Savoie Mont Blanc

- Smugglers’ Notch

What does it mean?

“Gap travel” refers to a trip taken by a person who has decided to postpone or put on hold work or studies in order to satisfy his or her wanderlust. “Gap travel” first began after WWII, at a time when society looked favourably on young people discovering the globe in order to broaden their outlook and increase the possibility of achieving world peace. However, it was not until the end of the 90s that the idea of travelling before starting university became more widespread.

Three distinct segments

More recently, the gap travel concept has expanded to include other age groups, specifically successful professionals who have decided to change careers. These people often take advantage of this period of transition in order to travel. Increased acceptance of this idea in educational and professional milieus has contributed to the expansion of this kind of travel. A growing number of seniors who are both financially secure and in good health also decide to discover new horizons. People in this category were backpackers in their youth and are hence experienced travellers. There are three distinct categories of gap travellers:

• College or high school graduates about to start university;
• Professionals who decide to take time off from their job;
• People who have taken early retirement but who have not yet begun any post-retirement activities (casual part-time work, volunteering, etc.).

Extent and origin of the market

Over 90% of the gap travel market consists of independent travellers who organize their own trips. The British research firm Mintel estimates that such travellers spend over CAD$10 billion on 1 million to 1.5 million trips per year worldwide. The UK has by far the most gap travellers, accounting for roughly CAD$5 billion in spending.

In terms of their impact on the local economy, their length of stay offsets the relatively low daily spending of this group of travellers. On average, gap travellers spend roughly CAD$10,000 per trip; those in mid-career tend to have deeper pockets, budgeting approximately CAD$16,000 per trip. UK gap travellers represent a mere 1% of international departures from Britain, but an astonishing 10% of total spending.

The primarily English-speaking youth segment hails mostly from the UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Approximately 230,000 British students between 18 and 24 go on this kind of trip. The Scandinavian countries, Canada and Ireland could also be potential client bases. A certain percentage of young Americans studying in the UK visits the Old World between semesters. However, unlike other nationalities (notably the British), American youth seem less inclined to travel internationally.

British mid-career gap travellers number 90,000, compared with a total of 200,000 retirees.

Destination possibilities

Australia and New Zealand are ideal destinations for this kind of trip, particularly for Europeans. A number of factors affect a destination’s appeal for gap travellers: security, visa requirements, cost of living and the chances of getting a job. Australia capitalizes on its reputation as a far-away, dream destination, boosting its competitive advantage in this area with aggressive ad campaigns. In 2005, the Australian government allocated CAD$6 million for publicizing the advantages of its Working Holiday Maker visa to attract gap travellers from abroad. It also extended the visa period from one to two years.

Asia’s combination of cultural riches and low cost of living also appeals to this kind of traveller. Must-see destinations in that part of the world include India, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia. Japan is also a favourite destination, but more as a place to work.

South America and the South Pacific, with Brazil and the Fiji Islands heading the list, are increasingly popular choices. Finally, Africa’s international aid organizations attract a great number of workers inspired by humanitarian values.

What about Canada?

Since the rules governing international visitors fall under federal jurisdiction, the Canadian government plays a crucial role in attracting this segment of travellers. Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada has Working Holiday Programs. They offer visas to residents of the 13 eligible countries: Germany, Australia, Austria, Belgium, South Korea, Finland, France, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. These visas enable foreigners to travel in Canada and supplement their travel funds through incidental employment, up to a maximum period of 12 months. Unfortunately, residents of the US are not eligible for this kind of visa.

At the regional level, Tremblant is an excellent example of a destination that has successfully exploited this market segment. The organization “Ski le Gap” was created in 1994, specifically targetting British outdoor enthusiasts looking for intensive downhill ski or snowboard instruction. The resort claims it provides a unique gap-year experience as well as the opportunity to gain practical qualifications. This also gives it access to a pool of qualified instructors, a significant asset for companies in this sector.

There are innumerable strategies for attracting this category of travellers, whose habits certainly do not follow any of the usual patterns. New ways of exploiting obvious affinities – such as Tremblant’s Ski le Gap program aimed at British skiers – could be explored. For example, Quebec could stimulate French interest in specific niche markets. After all, our wide-open spaces are still a powerful draw that could easily be associated with a work-travel program, specifically by the outdoor and adventure tourism sectors.

Sources:

- e-tid. Brazil Develops as Gap Year Destination, July 11, 2006.
- Hide, Will and Tom Chesshyre. “The Trip of a Lifetime Starts Here,” The Times [travel.timesonline.co.uk], June 17, 2006.
- Hotel News Resource. Gap Travel – Emerging Niche Market with 1 million to 1.5 million Trips Per Year, February 21, 2006.
- Mintel International Group. “Gap Year Travel International,” Travel & Tourism Analyst, No. 12, July 2005.
- Wignall, Alice. “Time Out,” The Guardian [travel.guardian.co.uk], August 19, 2004.