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CrystalSki have removed Maria Alm!!

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
CrystalSki have removed Maria Alm!! Does anyone know what the reason for this is? I had a good time when I went..
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Simple, not big enough, they will not get the visitor numbers. The British "mass" market demands 300km of piste and of course bragging rights. Nobody ever heard of Maria...... who, wasn't she Julie Andrews character in the sound of music.
Yes it is very sad, so many Brits miss out on loads of super areas because they aint big enough!!!!!!!
Maria Alm is such a great area, I've skied there many times and really enjoy it.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
For past two trips with Crystal to Saalbach, we had to drop off/pick up two people only who were staying in Maria Alm. Bus had to wait every time for connecting taxi to arrive. Obviously I dont know how many people stayed there in other weeks, but if its only a few, then I suppose Crystal started thinking its not worth it with having to lay on connecting taxis for just a few.
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Crystal are after mass market stuff. They can drive demand to some areas to a degree, but not massively, they therefore rely on mass market recognition and knowledge. The vast majority of Brits travelling with Crystal haven't heard of Maria Alm.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I had a day out there when staying in Zell Am See. Cracking resort although I did not get to see the town. Enjoyed Kitzbuhel, Saalbach and Zell whilst staying at Zell this season using the SuperSalzberg Ski Pass (?). Why not DIY including a car and really enjoy all of Salzburgerland.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
I expect the problem is as often demonstrated on this forum. British holiday skiers increasingly seem to want:

• High altitude
• Low budget accommodation
• Extensive pistes
• Ski to door

Whereas Maria Alm offers:

• Beautiful ski area with plenty below the tree line
• A mix of hotels, guest houses and quality apartments in an attractive traditional Austrian village
• Reasonably large ski area with a lift pass that covers all other Ski Amadé areas
• Having a car is best to get the most of the area

I'd prefer the latter several times over, and so do many continental Europeans who drive to their ski holidays, but it doesn't seem to fit the British 'ideal'.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@queenie pretty please, I’m not overly fussed about what Crystal do, I prefer the continental European way.


Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Wed 30-05-18 18:30; edited 1 time in total
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
queenie pretty please wrote:
I expect the problem is as often demonstrated on this forum. British holiday skiers increasingly seem to want:

• High altitude
• Low budget accommodation
• Extensive pistes
• Ski to door

Whereas Maria Alm offers:

• Beautiful ski area with plenty below the tree line
• A mix of hotels, guest houses and quality apartments in an attractive traditional Austrian village
• Reasonably large ski area with a lift pass that covers all other Ski Amadé areas
• Having a car is best to get the most of the area

I'd prefer the latter several times over, and so do many continental Europeans who drive to their ski holidays, but it doesn't seem to fit the British 'ideal'.


I don't disagree with the characterisation but I'm not sure it's "increasingly". That's what British families tend to want for convenience and hence a package industry geared around that. Personally I think the desire for ski in/out convenience over everything else is daft but then it's a lot easier for me to hop on a bus or walk or drive to a lift than it is for a whole family of novices. And "brand" plays a part in ski destination decision making whether its familiarity or recommendation etc etc. There are likely to be very few Maria Alm evangelists out there. Of course if families drive and can find a convenient route into Austria that isn't clogged with the populations of NL & Germany then they have more options.
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 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
queenie pretty please wrote:
....Whereas Maria Alm offers: ...
• Having a car is best to get the most of the area...

I think it is this. Crystal are a mass-market operation, wanting to fill flights, transfer coaches etc. Not sure that they even offer a "self-drive" option on their website anymore.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
queenie pretty please wrote:
I expect the problem is as often demonstrated on this forum. British holiday skiers increasingly seem to want:

• High altitude
• Low budget accommodation
• Extensive pistes
• Ski to door

Whereas Maria Alm offers:

• Beautiful ski area with plenty below the tree line
• A mix of hotels, guest houses and quality apartments in an attractive traditional Austrian village
• Reasonably large ski area with a lift pass that covers all other Ski Amadé areas
• Having a car is best to get the most of the area

I'd prefer the latter several times over, and so do many continental Europeans who drive to their ski holidays, but it doesn't seem to fit the British 'ideal'.


this is why I chose Maria Alm aswell!
ski holidays
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Rogerdodger wrote:
Simple, not big enough, they will not get the visitor numbers. The British "mass" market demands 300km of piste and of course bragging rights. Nobody ever heard of Maria...... who, wasn't she Julie Andrews character in the sound of music.
Yes it is very sad, so many Brits miss out on loads of super areas because they aint big enough!!!!!!!
Maria Alm is such a great area, I've skied there many times and really enjoy it.


Sadly the avarage brit customer seems to lack that appeciation for what is the available in and around a lot of smaller areas. We are fed on a constant media diet of glitz and crap,its no a huge surprise.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
They stopped going to Nauders the year after we went. I think we were the only two TO guests that week. The week after Crystal had four guests arrive. So not that popular in early January.

I'm surprised they've dropped it now, as it's been offered for the last couple of years. They cut back on resorts after a bad year.

They do seem to try a new resort every now and again. Maybe just so they can put NEW THIS YEAR on the bumf. They seem to be resorts they can tack onto existing destinations. Nauders was a minibus to the St. Anton coach. I wish they'd go to more places instead of increasing capacity at their usual places.

Maria Alm might come back in a few months for their proper 18/19 offering. Still a bit early yet as they may not have finished negotiating rooms/prices.
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