Swiss ski resort Saas Fee has announced an unusual and innovative idea to make skiing cheaper, but also bring in a lot of money for the resort – a 222 Swiss Franc (approximate £183) season pass!
The catch? Yes surprisingly there is one… they need to sell 100,000 for the low priced deal, which places a season ticket at least the a five day pass price, to kick in.
The idea is a time-limited crowd funding campaign, the 100,000 222 Swiss Franc season passes must be purchased within five weeks, otherwise purchasers will be asked to pay the full price.
"Alpine tourism is facing a challenge due to an imbalance of supply and demand. In many areas, the surplus of resorts means that costs can no longer be covered. Saas-Fee wants to solve the problem by introducing a revolutionary price concept," a statement issued by Saas Fee reads.
The initiative begins on Sunday 23rd October 2016 via the online platform www.we-make-it-happen.ch
The resort says three and fifteen-year season passes will also be available on the site.
"It's up to our guests to decide if they want to go skiing for less," explains Rainer Flaig, member of the administrative board of Saastal Bergbahnen AG.
"Our guests tend to stay for an average of four days. We want to make the price attractive for these customers. A four-day ski pass currently costs CHF 259; with the WinterCard Saas-Fee they can ski for less than that and, more importantly, for the whole winter," added Pascal Schär, CEO of Saastal Marketing AG.
J2Ski.com have just asked Saas Fee for a few more details and we're now waiting to hear back:
1. How many season passes does Saas Fee normally sell?
2. Do people who already bought a season pass get a refund if the 222 deal kicks in?
3. Do people commit to paying the higher price if the 100,000 target is not reached or can they cancel?
(Image credit: Denis Emery/Photo-genic.ch)