Next season - let's remember this

[thursday 1]

Damn, if only this thread started last season.

 

A walk to the souvenir shop through the 2cm snow anyone?

[nippontiger 8]

For some reason, its always "Grand Open!" in Japan. I guess they'd put an "-ing" at the end if for some reason they wanted to put a "let's" at the beginning!

[iiyamadude 6]

Originally Posted By: pie-eater

Yes, it did say that.
In fact, here is the very sign!
Very clearly marked, as you can see.

It's Grand Open as it is a grand occasion and of course they are confident that it will go ahead. It's got to, if it's grand!

[Go Native 70]

Originally Posted By: Slippery Jim

Want to apologize to Go Native for what I realize appeared like a personal attack. It wasn't supposed to read that way, and I think I got a bit carried away. Beer on me next month, GN, to make amends.

That said, calling potential customers idiots just ain't best practice, mate!

Calling them idiots is hopefully a wake up call to actually do a little bit of research before booking a holiday somewhere! You wouldn't believe some of the questions we get asked on a daily basis by some of our potential customers and many who've actually already laid down $1000's on their holiday. We do get a lot of enquiries and bookings from complete noobs to skiing. Many who've never even seen snow before. The fact that a lot of the bookings are being organised by their secrataries who have never and will never ski a day in their lives also doesn't help...

You do this job for as long as I have and not get a little jaded with the idiots and their questions and expectations

(I didn't think your comments were a personal attack (rather a general one at the industry) but thanks for the apology )

[Go Native 70]

Here's a good one I just got. They wish to stay in what is one of the most luxurious properties in the whole region and have asked if the room has a private toilet and shower. Yeah at prices up around $200 a night per person we're gonna make you share toilet and shower facilites!

 

These people really crack me up.

[RobBright 35]

Look, how am I supposed to know if The Vale doesn't have these facilities? And it was meant to be a private email.

[NoFakie 45]

So its all Nozawa's fault then.

[Schneebored 0]

Originally Posted By: Gary

When I checked the Kagura opening date a while back, Im sure it listed the opening date and then said "yotei" after it - meaning planned. It just seemed like common sense to me that, being early season, they meant "we will open on this date if there is enough snow to do so."
It seems perfectly reasonable to me, for a resort to give an optimistic opening date, bearing in mind that the snow may well arrive early. If they give a later date and the snow arrives early, they may well not be ready to open, customers will be complaining they cant ski and the resort will lose a load of money.
If you book travel and accommodation to go skiing pretty much anywhere in the world, right at the beginning of the season then you are risking there being no snow. Its just common sense.

Could agree more Gary. Its common business sense. You want to commit yourself to a date, so that you have employees, stocks, proceedures, accounts etc all in place for the earliest probable date. Better to be ready and delay, than miss weeks business because you took the suck it and see approach.

[Go Native 70]

Plus you need a date to book in the monks to come and bless the mountain for a safe season. Might as well be early before the snow really starts

[iiyamadude 6]

Originally Posted By: Schneebored

Originally Posted By: Gary

When I checked the Kagura opening date a while back, Im sure it listed the opening date and then said "yotei" after it - meaning planned. It just seemed like common sense to me that, being early season, they meant "we will open on this date if there is enough snow to do so."
It seems perfectly reasonable to me, for a resort to give an optimistic opening date, bearing in mind that the snow may well arrive early. If they give a later date and the snow arrives early, they may well not be ready to open, customers will be complaining they cant ski and the resort will lose a load of money.
If you book travel and accommodation to go skiing pretty much anywhere in the world, right at the beginning of the season then you are risking there being no snow. Its just common sense.

Could agree more Gary. Its common business sense. You want to commit yourself to a date, so that you have employees, stocks, proceedures, accounts etc all in place for the earliest probable date. Better to be ready and delay, than miss weeks business because you took the suck it and see approach.

But then why choose a date that is consistently at least 2 weeks and more than when they can actually open?

[NoFakie 45]

If weather has been anything in recent years, it is not "consistent". The general trend is warming, but with much more "noise" than before.

 

Personally I think they could shift the official dates back, but its not such a big deal because they barely publicize them and noone pays any attention (i.e., acts upon them) anyway.

[iiyamadude 6]

Nobody pays attention?

I'm sure you have put a lot of research into that Mr Wiggles.

Perhaps you left out the people now in nozawa the last few weeks impatiently waiting for snow.

 

Or do they not count, as they are 'idiots'?

[Go Native 70]

What research have you done iiya that makes you believe there's a whole lot of people in Noz waiting for snow? I'd be very surprised if this was the case.

[iiyamadude 6]

I live closeby.

I have a fair few friends who actually live in Nozawa and a number of my good friends own accommodations in Nozawa.

I spoke to them.

They told me.

3 nights ago I was in Nozawa and spoke to a group of them. (Idiots, of course).

[Thundercat 60]

I hate suggesting this but I think the problem may be that the resort in Nozawa has ties that are too close with the community... I can't think of any other reason that a resort would post unrealistic opening dates.

[seemore 66]

Never been to Oz ski fields too expensive.

 

I was just throwing in my 2bob's worth.

 

I understand the whole business side I am a sales person and there are somethings you don't need to tell people.

 

Very interesting thread though.

 

Group hug too everyone.

 

Seemore

[NoFakie 45]

Are you saying people turned up with skis from o/s weeks ago in Nozawa because of a date on the resort's website?

 

What did their accom tell them when they booked up (and took their money)?

[iiyamadude 6]

I'm saying people booked to be in Nozawa early season, a fair while back. They knew it was early season, but the resort claims to be able to open late November, which is the line the resort uses and all the accommodations in Nozawa, so early December seems less of a risk. After all, hey, it's a full 2 weeks after their 'Grand Open'.

 

I'm sure there have been people in Hakuba this last week or so doing exactly the same. In fact I know there have, my friend has told me theres a number of pissed off people there right now hanging about waiting for snow. Yes, they are obviously raving idiots withot any of those little grey cells to rub between them etc etc. But have the halo-wearing accommodation owners of Hakuba turned them away or given them their money back, even if those people booked a few months ago?

[Jynxx 4]

So it is the accomodation owners that is your concern?

Is it the money back guarantee that isn´t there in the first place you are having problem with?

Any promotion is good promotion, especially when it´s free, or there is a good site to spread the word of mouth... or there´s a offer of discount or giveaway. We haven´t seen any no snow refund policies but that can become some future standard.

But at the moment, if you have some gripe on how small business owners are running the business, why aren´t we reading this situation from people actually in Nozawa or Hakuba posting their gripe on this forum?

Again, it´s speculation, and let´s hear it from these people. No heresay.

 

I see that some people just don´t dig the "Grand Oening" advertisement copy. Hey, it´s japanese advertising using Gai-Rai-Go (foreign introduced words) like "Nighta" It´s in Katakana. You are mixing up your concept of Grand (As in UK or USA ?) with a Japanese advertising lingo.

[pie-eater 207]

Jynxx. Just have to say, I only often understand a little part of what you write, but when I do it often makes me laugh. So thank you for the entertainment, you nutty fruitcake, you.

[s3phis 0]

I don't really understand why you've taken it as if it's a personal thing against you, but like I mentioned earlier, for good or for worse the main group the resorts are appealing to are their Japanese guests and they rarely get bothered by post-poning the opening day. I don't necessarily agree or disagree with the way the resort handles its grand opening but it was looking quite hopeful when half the ski field was blanketed in white snow back in Nov this year.

 

Again going back to what I said, snide remarks to other posters whether they're guests, lodge owners or work at ski resorts, isn't going to really change much other than make other people worked up and annoyed. If you've got a case, why not take it to the resorts so that they can at least realise that it's negatively affecting their guests?

[Jynxx 4]

It´s called diversity pie-eater.

You can make your own pie, but I bet you only eat what you like that´s readily available off the shelf.

[pie-eater 207]

There you go again! Not the foggiest what the heck you're blabbering on about, but it sounds like funny bollocks!

[Jynxx 4]

yeah. I find people amusing, too.

but for me, that´s because they are set in their own ways. (value, moral, ideas, presumed...)

I find English very simple, easy and flexible to exploit the boundaries of concept and getting into that grey area. Often that confuses people. It challenges them.

Funny ting is, people think in phrases. It´s a set pattern. I say this and you say that, in phrases, and they are happy that they have communicated. In this case, the meaning of the word is a common denominator. People don´t think more of it, that it might contain something deeper, or indicating that there is. But that´s not true either. They do say read in between the words!

It´s quite interesting having lived in Backpacker´s and talked to people whom their first language isn´t English. Lot of them have told me they don´t have a clue what the Brits are talking about. Aussies are the next they find it difficult to understand at first because of the accent.

The point here is that for those who have "gotten English" have an opportunity to express themselves more freely. Some feel they are more free. This might be something those who speak English as their own language cannot understand unless you have broken your own mold. Being bi-cultural can do that.

[grungy-gonads 54]

What confuses people in your case, Jynxx, is that they simply can't work out what your perma-stoned-like nonsense means. Not because they are silly, after all many of us here in Japan are used to filtering bad English and squeezing a meaning out of it, but coz it be utter nonsense.

I agree with pie, though, it's quite amusing.