verbier_ski_bum wrote:Snapzzz wrote:Ranchero_1979 wrote:I sit on the other side. Is incredibly difficult for instructors to gain enough experience to progress through system and work in France. As such I completely understand why they would want to ensure maximum number of people take lessons. That might mean them having to slightly alter their business model to meet British customer needs but makes perfect sense to me.
Also we have to remember the French set a high standard for you to be an instructor, does not require you to be of a given Nationality to meet standard. Just ensures the dedication to be a professional is there. Reality is someone who did 5 week basic instructor course in Canada cannot be compared to a French qualified instructor who has spent several years learning the trade. To ensure these dedicated people have a viable career is in interest of everyone.
TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH THIS ^^^^
The point is that people that enjoy hosting are not looking for an alternative to lessons, they often do not need nor want lessons. They just want a social environment to ski with other capable people.
This is just about money.....plain and simple.
Whilst in Morzine last week ESF had posters up an flyers around offering a tour of the pistes, no instruction, from 1pm-5pm. 34 euros.
That is what it is all about, they want the exclusive on a blossoming trend. Simple as.
When people need hosting they in fact do need lessons. When you can ski it never a problem to explore by yourself or find the company to ski with because you can follow anyone anywhere and won't be a liability. TO's can organise group skiing and let people subscribe and meet, just remove the host out of it or hire instructor from a ski school for a day. Any real change will be a positive one. You spend a day with a host telling him you don't like ice, and he'll be keeping you are out of it. If you spend the day with instructor and tell him the same be sure you won't miss a single icy patch that can be found anywhere that day. The truth is people get this "hosting" thing as a massive freebie, some pampering at no visible cost. So it's about money indeed. And it's largely a British thing, I doubt tourists from other places care a thing about hosting. And yes, it's a market share. If certain activity is performed by a trained and certified professionals and removed from them by allowing non-trained non-certified individuals to perform it too, this is the market share gone, and profession brings less rewards and may end up unsustainable or affordable only to rich kids who live on their parents money anyway. And it's not easy to gain these qualifications either, so why shouldn't this be rewarded?
In any case, this is the law of the host country. Take it or leave it. Or write a letter to Parliament. They will laugh at it too.
Wrong, mate. It's not just a British thing. In the United States and Canada, mountain hosts are provided, free of charge, by resorts to show visitors around the particular mountain. And very popular they are too. No instruction, just run familiarisation and the best places to stop for a wee and a cup of tea.
All sounds rather similar to what tour ops have tried to do in Europe for many seasons.
All this ban does is convince me not to return to France for skiing any time soon; I can go somewhere else where I feel my custom is more valued.