UK Government Launches Alcohol Awareness Campaign In Ski Resorts
Tuesday, November 24th, 2009
The UK Government, with the support of major British tour operators as well as local police, rescue services, tourist offices and airports in several skiing nations, is launching a publicity campaign next month to warn against the dangers of drinking too much alcohol while on holiday in ski resorts.
The aim of the campaign is to avoid accidents and deaths in ski resorts, warning everyone that alcohol can affect you more quickly at high altitudes and seriously limits your awareness of danger and cold.
The campaign is not especially concentrated at drunk skiing or snowboarding, but equally at young adult holiday makers who drink too much in the evening in bars and then run in to difficulty trying to get back to their holiday accommodation.
The new campaign comes after several incidents in recent years where young adults have died as a result of falls or becoming lost and suffering from exposure in ski resorts in the evening, most of which were alcohol related.
The safety awareness programme, in the form of a poster campaign, has been initiated by the Foreign Office for areas in which many ski resorts are located.
It has been supported by French police and rescue services, tourist offices and airports in the regions of Savoie, Haute Savoie, Isère, Rhône as well as Geneva airport and several major Swiss ski resorts. In Italy, which joined the project later, resorts in the province of Turin will be involved for the forthcoming season too.
British tour operators including the number 1 UK ski specialist Crystal Ski, Thomson Ski, First Choice Ski as well as student specialists Off the Piste and Ski Alpine have agreed to collaborate.
Posters will be displayed in restaurants, bars, airports and other public spaces and there will be leaflets and display material in British tour operator owned chalets, club hotels and bars.
“We are committed to supporting educational projects which make a positive difference to people lives and ensure that they have good, safe fun on their holidays†said Mathew Prior, MD of TUI Ski which runs Crystal Ski, Thomson Ski and First Choice Ski.
