The National Snow Show – Birmingham NEC 15/16 Oct 2022

Great to be back at a Ski Show, while not the same size as the Earls Court and Olympia (or even the Battersea version) there was still a buzz about looking forward to Winter. Loads of new kit, inspiring speakers and masses of information on where to go and how to stay safe on the slopes.

The main retailer of the show was the Ski Exchange and they certainly had plenty of new kit in stock. More ski and snowboard manufacturers than I remember at previous shows – with each company seeming to produce dozens of models with lots of 2023 hardware on view.

The Snow Dome had slope for first timers to have a go on with instructors present (not real snow though!) for mainly kids to have a taste of skiing.

We watched Dan Egan telling tales of Skiing around the world with a lifetime of adventures with the Warren Miller film crews – great stories and some classic 90s videos of day-glo one piece suits, big hair, headbands and rear entry Salomon boots.

The 3 Valleys had an unmanned booth (when we were there) on the France Montagne stand with a couple of laminates of a QR Code to book your holidays direct with them as they are setting themselves up as a Travel Agent – surely that will work against the ski area as Travel Agents who’ve supported the 3V for years will look elsewhere? No piste maps, brochures, stickers, badges or other freebies like the vast majority of stands. Pretty disappointing from the biggest ski area in the world.

Most tour ops and chalet companies we spoke to were reporting record early bookings up to September but then things have slowed down in what is usually the busiest period for people planning Winter holidays. Most remained confident and positive of a good season ahead despite the Cost of Living crisis etc. The “lifts not running because of energy prices” story has now been fully debunked so let’s just hope for some decent early snow and get on with it!

Met up with Iain from The Ski Podcast who was hobnobbing with Chemmy Alcott & Graham Bell on the Inghams stand plus Ralph from The Freeride Republic in La Tania. At the end of the day we bumped in to The Wingmen and Westy (of Bring Your Sisters) of who many will be familiar with from their gigs at Pub Le Ski Lodge in La Tania – this lead on to the after party, you can guess the rest…