World Ski Awards – the global initiative to recognise and reward excellence in ski tourism – has unveiled the winners of its 10th annual programme.
Verbier’s superb skiing, state-of-the-art lifts, fine chalets and thriving après-ski proved a winning combination, as it was named ‘World’s Best Ski Resort’ for the second year running. The Swiss resort made it a double celebration with W Verbier collecting ‘World’s Best Ski Hotel’.
France took double honours in the newcomer categories, with Bear Lodge, Les Arcs named ‘World’s Best New Ski Hotel’ and Val-d’Isère’s ski-in, ski-out Chalet Abade recognized as ‘World’s Best New Ski Chalet’.
Chalet Zermatt Peak, with unrivalled views of the Matterhorn, claimed ‘World’s Best Ski Chalet’, whilst Utah’s sumptuous Stein Eriksen Residences took ‘World’s Best Ski Boutique Hotel’.
Switzerland’s LAAX, with its unlimited freeriding opportunities, was named ‘World’s Best Freestyle Resort’. Ski Dubai, home to a superb array of snow-based activities, picked up ‘World’s Best Indoor Ski Resort’.
The results follow a year-long search for the world’s leading ski travel, tourism and hospitality brands. Votes were cast by ski industry professionals and ski consumers, with the nominee gaining the most votes in a category named the winner.
Leo Trippi was voted ‘World’s Best Ski Travel Agent’, with Sunweb winning ‘World’s Best Ski Tour Operator’. Tesla Transfers collected the title for ‘World’s Best Ski Transfer Operator’.
The harmonious mix of architecture and nature helped LAAX’s rocksresort to the title of ‘World’s Best Green Ski Hotel’. Northern Escape Heli-Skiing, operating in British Columbia’s vast Skeena Range, collected ‘World’s Best Heli-Ski Operator’. The pan-European dominance of Compagnie des Alpes helped it gain the award for ‘World’s Best Ski Resort Group’. The state-of-the-art facilities of Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel led to its recognition as ‘World’s Best Ski Resort Company’.
Sion Rapson, Managing Director, World Ski Awards, says: “Our winners represent the finest brands in global ski tourism and my congratulations to each of them. The 10th annual World Ski Awards programme received a record number of votes from ski consumers across the world, and serves as a barometer on the eve of the upcoming season. This shows that the appetite for ski tourism has never been stronger.”
Awards were also announced on a country-level, featuring the best resorts and hospitality providers from the world’s best ski tourism destinations.
