FIS's Inspection Commission Sochi Freestyle and Snowboard Venues

Following the Olympic Results Information Service (ORIS) homologation testing of the systems in Sochi (RUS) in early July 2013, the FIS Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard staff met with experts of the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee for another site inspection.The Extreme Park in Kasnaya Polyana/Rosa Khutor, the site of the Olympic Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard competitions is now in its final preparation phaseof the six courses, with only a few fine-tuning adjustments remaining.

While the previous inspection in May 2013 focused on an extensive review of the test competitions, this time the first off-snow inspection of the finish area design took place in order to ensure all logistical expectations, between the sport, media and teams can be met during Games’ time.
"As we are running five back-to-back Snowboard events for ladies and men, another use of every meter of space is predetermined", highlighted FIS Snowboard Race Director Uwe Beier.
On the Freestyle Skiing side, which also features five events and 10 competitions, things are looking positive as well: "Our focus was clearly on the set-up of the finish area with the rights holders, mixed zones and coaches’ zones getting defined. After five years of planning and work, it is good to see the end in sight, but the last ten percent of work usually takes the most effort. We can now imagine that the setting is going to be very special for all of our competitions", underlined FIS Freestyle Skiing Coordinator Joseph Fitzgerald.
Aside from the finish area, comments and remarks from the test competitions, schedules, as well as roles and duties of National Technical Officials were reviewed in detail.
Additionally, the first traces of the Olympic spirit have been seen by the FIS representatives: "Besides the sport-related issues, it is good to see the construction dust slowly disappearing and the resort coming alive. We already saw many tourists who came up from the city enjoying their time in the mountains and in Rosa Khutor", concluded Uwe Beier.

Sochi was elected as the host city for the XXII Olympic Winter Games at the 119th IOC Session in Guatemala City on 4 July 2007. The Sochi 2014 Games will play host to the seven Olympic Winter sports (Skiing, Skating, Luge, Biathlon, Ice Hockey, Curling, and Bobsleigh) currently on the Olympic programme and will run from 7 to 23 February 2014.

Best of the Alps continues World Snow Day partnership

For the first two editions of World Snow Day, Best of the Alps has created a series of meaningful and exciting events for some very special children and hasagreed to extend its participation for the 3rd edition in 2014.
Many of the Best of the Alps member resorts are famous locations for FIS World Cup events. Popular for their well-established infrastructure, their close links to the region in which they are located and their blend of tradition and progress, they are some of the best known winter ski destinations in Europe’s Alpine countries.

For the second edition of World Snow Day on 19th January 2013, a selected group of Best of the Alps Resorts have worked closely with the SOS Children’s Villages, BMW and ADAC (the German Automobile Association). Children from SOS Children’s villages in France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Austria have been transported to the nearest Best of the Alps resort to enjoy a day on the snow. To ensure the children have the best time, a series of great activities were provided to help them explore, enjoy and experience the snow.
World Snow Day is the second phase of the 'Bring Children to the Snow' campaign. The first phase of the campaign, called SnowKidz, was launched in 2009. The SnowKidz project aims to encourage FIS Member National Ski Associations to promote snow sports within their country.
The concept for World Snow Day was developed by FIS in consultation with other organizations involved in snow sports, such as the National Ski Associations, their ski clubs and event organizers, ski schools, ski industry, tourism organizations, mountain lift associations and many more, in order to tackle the general decline in youth participation in snow sports. The World Snow Day aims to support and encourage involvement from children and families alike with the goal of creating a new channel to reach the younger target groups and to bring newcomers to snow whilst offering something special to those who already participate.

Best of the Alps is the European collaboration of the twelve world famous tourist destinations of the Alps - Chamonix Mont-Blanc, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Davos, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Grindelwald, Kitzbühel, Lech/Zürs am Arlberg, Megève, Seefeld, St. Anton am Arlberg, St. Moritz and Zermatt. Best of the Alps is the only organisation of this size at this level and has existed for more than 20 years. In 2011, FIS President Gian Franco Kasper was honoured with the Best of the Alps Award. It is an honour bestowed every year by the twelve members of Best of the Alps Classic Mountain Resorts presented to persons in recognition of their outstanding services and achievements in the spheres of sport and tourism that serve to promote and enhance the cultural, social and political life of the European Alpine region.

Engadin St. Moritz Selects Inntopia to power its reservation center

Inntopia is pleased to announce the premier Swiss resort of Engadin St. Moritz as its first European destination.
Booking a ski vacation at St. Moritz, Switzerland just became easier, as Engadin St. Moritz has selected Inntopia to power its reservation center. Inntopia offers a flexible system that enables reservations for everything that St. Moritz has to offer. For guests, this means that all services -from hotel and lifts to ski schools and ski rental - can be booked simply and conveniently online through the central tourism website, www.engadin.stmoritz.ch for the coming winter season.

For Engadin St. Moritz, this partnership with Inntopia is an important milestone in their efforts to offer their guests an attractive holiday booking experience from a single source. "The ability to easily and dynamically combine different services with each other was the key reason we selected the Inntopia platform", says Ariane Ehrat, CEO of Engadin St. Moritz. "Besides making the booking process easy for guests, the new technology will also simplify the internal workings of our tourism organization".
Inntopia is already widely used by top vacation destinations in the United States, Canada, and Australia. The new partnership with St. Moritz represents Inntopia's first destination in the European market. "We are thrilled to add St. Moritz to the list of premier vacation destinations using Inntopia to power their reservations", says Trevor Crist, CEO of Inntopia. "Their decision validates that Inntopia's innovative reservation platform is as applicable to the European market as it is to the US, Canadian, and Australian markets".
Inntopia is the leading advanced reservation platform for the destination travel industry, powering destination resorts, ski resorts, tour operators, and travel suppliers. The Inntopia platform also gives agents access to popular activities and attractions in these same destinations. Skiing, heli-skiing, whitewater rafting, zip line treks, golf, fishing guides, and mountain biking are just some of the options available.
Travel providers manage their rates and availability directly in the Inntopia system, or connect through one of the many interfaces available. Agent commissions are processed by Inntopia as well, through their own commission clearing house.