Snow Season Central spotlights most common ski slope violations in Australia

July 22, 2024

Snow Season Central spotlights most common ski slope violations in Australia

With Australians heading to the snow this winter, there are many unspoken rules at Australian ski resorts, especially during peak season when the slopes are crowded with skiers and snowboarders.

Snow Season Central – a global ski travel and job platform – commissioned the ‘Ski Etiquette survey’ which surveyed over 2,000 Australians who have skied at least twice on Australian slopes in the last five years.

The survey asked respondents to rate behaviours such as safety and control, courtesy and respect, and environmental responsibility.

Key findings:

Of the people we surveyed, the most common ski slope violations in Australia are: skipping lines or pushing in lift queues (72%), not keeping a safe distance from other skiers (50%) and not respecting the environment (32%).
Melburnians named the country’s most poorly behaved slope users, followed by Adelaide and Geelong, according to their residents.
Ways to respond to ski etiquette violations include: ignoring the behaviour (38%), politely communicating the rules to abusers (23%), recording the behaviour and sharing it on social media (17%).

According to SnowSeasonCentral, the worst breach of ski etiquette is skipping lines or pushing in lift queues, according to 72% of those surveyed.

Complete list of the top ten ski etiquette violations:

Skipping lines or pushing in lift queues - 72%
Not keeping a safe distance from other skiers - 50%
Not respecting the environment - 32%
Not obeying signs and markings - 24%
Not looking before merging - 20%
Going too fast - 18%
Not staying in control - 17%
Stopping in the middle of a slope inappropriately - 16%
Smoking / vaping on the chairlift - 16%
Not utilising available seats on chairlifts efficiently - 14%

When asked how to respond to ski etiquette violations, 38% of respondents were in favour of “ignoring the behaviour”, a noble 23% opted for “politely communicating the rules to abusers”, and 17% appear to be keyboard warriors, believing the best approach is to “record the behaviour and share it on social media”.

According to the survey, the most effective ways to communicate ski etiquette rules to the public are: clear and concise signs with visuals (42%), social media campaigns (25%) and on-site educational programs (14%).

Ed Raine, Director of Snow Season Central notes "the survey results highlight the vibrant culture of the Australian skiing community and underscore the importance of responsible skiing practices. As we embrace the winter season, let's remember to shred the slopes with respect for each other and the environment."

Methodology:
SnowSeasonCentral surveyed 2,011 AU residents about their views on ski etiquette. This study was finalised in June 2024. Censuswide conducted the survey; participants needed to have visited an Australian ski resort at least twice in the last 5 years. Of all respondents, 49% identified as male, and 51% identified as female.

Snow Season Central is an online resource for ski resort information and job opportunities across the USA, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and Europe. The platform helps hundreds of thousands of skiers make better travel and work plans by providing up to date resort information and employment opportunities.

You can view the full study here

Image. Perisher Blue Cow credit: Snow Season Central

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