| If ever there was an industry that needed global | | | | conveyor belt and a game zone, designed to give |
| warming not to be true, it has to be the ski industry. | | | | children confidence before they ski and use the chair |
| No snow, no skiing, and the skiing industry would | | | | lifts. |
| belong to a sporting museum. | | | | While the snow would often start in early November |
| So perhaps it comes as no surprise that one | | | | before this ski season, disastrously no sustained |
| European country which relies on the ski industry | | | | snow periods arrived until March this year. No official |
| trade more than most others has decided to ditch | | | | figures have been released yet as to how many |
| traditional print brochures for the internet only. | | | | tourists visited this year, but some officials are |
| Andorra is a small country with borders that meet | | | | reported to be guessing at a year on year fall of ten |
| both France and Spain, set in the Pyrenees | | | | per cent, and some are blaming it on environmental |
| mountains. Andorra is best known for two things - | | | | changes and global warming. Private businesses |
| her status as a tax haven, and for attracting ten | | | | suggest the figure could be closer to forty per cent. |
| million tourists a year, mostly for skiing in her | | | | Given that private businesses see financial figures on |
| mountains. | | | | a daily basis most people in the Andorra tourist |
| The Vallnord ski area which includes the well known | | | | industry are veering towards the higher forty per |
| resorts of Arinsal and Ordino decided to stop | | | | cent figure rather than what could be an optimistic |
| producing traditional holiday brochures as a sign of its | | | | official estimate. |
| commitment to the environment, with the hope that | | | | Despite good snow in mid March and full occupancy |
| visitors would find sufficient information on the | | | | at Easter, it was decided not to prolong the agony |
| internet, and book their ski holidays on-line. | | | | of Andorra's worst tourist season for a generation, |
| The decision to move from print media to new | | | | and the slopes were closed at the end of the Easter |
| technology to benefit the environment comes at a | | | | holidays, some three weeks earlier than some |
| risky time for Andorra's ski resorts. The 2006/7 | | | | previous ski seasons. |
| season was not a good one with a drop in tourists | | | | The good news for Andorra is that the scare of |
| for the first time in recent years. This despite the | | | | global warming might have been just that, as snow |
| fact that Andorra opened a new family friendly ski | | | | fell in Soldeu in late September, bringing hope that |
| park in Arinsal, moving away from her old image of a | | | | the 2008 season will be good for natural snow - and |
| cheap and cheerful ski holiday for 18-30 year olds to | | | | the ski resorts can claim to have done their bit to |
| one that caters well for all. The snow park includes a | | | | help the environment! |