ESF Seeks To Distance Itself From British Ski Hosts Ban
ESF Seeks To Distance Itself From British Ski Hosts Ban
Published : 19-Feb-2013 10:51
The national French Ski School, the ESF, has sought to distance itself from a French court decision to ban British Tour Operators from offering free ski hosting services to their clients.
"Following today's court ruling in France with legal action brought against UK tour operator, Le Ski, Simon Atkinson, Director, ESF has issued the following statement: ESF has incorrectly been cited as being the organisation for taking the Le Ski to court for its own protectionism. It should be stressed that ESF has not brought the action in the French courts, but the Public Ministry's (French Administration) did so in pursuing action against Le Ski for non-compliance with French regulations, after a Border Police Patrol Control found them to be contravening French law," said a statement released by the ESF via a UK PR company.
The disagreement between the French ski school and tour operators has been going on for decades in various forms but has recently resurfaced with a new legal move, targeting the British tour operator Le Ski, which has been bringing skiers to the French Alps for 30 years.
In previous confrontations the argument centred on the term 'guiding' with tour operators changing the job title of staff who showed new guests atound the slopes to 'hosts' to avoid confusion with fully qualified ski guides.
The French say the move is to protect safety of British skiers and boarders with ski hosts often not having French-recognised qualifications of a high enough standard.
However commentators say that the move, as in previous cases, is about protectionism and that it will backfire of the ESF. They say ski hosts only offer resort familiarisation tours and do not instruct or take skers in to dangerous areas. Market leader Crystal issued the following statement:
"Crystal Ski is disappointed with today's court ruling, however, we are pleased to hear that the tour operator has decided to appeal. We have temporarily suspended our social skiing service in France whilst this process goes through the courts. We have never seen social skiing as a replacement for a ski school as social skiing is where a representative from the holiday company takes guests on familiarisation tours of the slopes, show them good lunch spots and how to avoid the queues. They do not go on black runs or off piste and stick to gentle slopes. No instruction is given."
Internet discussion boards are already filling with highly negative comments about the French move and the ESF in general.
The ESF statement continues, "This is not an ESF led court action, but the organisation has rightly shown its support for French law to be upheld and that for those organisations using hosting or other personnel to 'guide' such people must possess a valid qualifications to do so. ESF is committed to ensuring the safety of UK tourists using French resorts for winter sports. ESF reiterates its commitment to supporting the UK ski industry and will work with UK tour operators in finding workable solutions for lawful guiding on the French ski slopes."
Le Ski says it will fight the court's decision and has 10 days to appeal.
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