Do we really need Wi-Fi on chairlifts? I can see how it’s kinda nice, but is this something that we want our ski resorts spending money on?
It’s something that very well may become a staple at all ski resorts in the near future. But, do we want that?
Val Thorens in France has Wi-Fi on every single lift at their ski resort and these guys have 32 lifts and the place is huge. Many resorts in the states already have wifi access in gondolas and trams but do you want Wi-Fi on the chairs at your resort?
There are obviously two trains of thought here:
1. Skiing is escapism. I ski so that I can get away from all the real world garbage like the internet.
2. Wi-fi on the chair allows me to get work done from the chair so I can work and ski and stay out of the office.
Remember Talking to People?
Remember when you’d get on a chairlift and actually talk to people? Shoot the sh#t, talk about the weather, maybe find a connection and make a new friend or acquaintance or ski buddy? Even if you didn’t wanna talk, you’d talk and maybe even hone your social skills a bit. Talking to people on the chair, remember that?
Even if there was no one to talk to or if conversation runs dry you could look around. I mean really looking at mountain and the views, listening to the wind, the birds. Watching other people ski. Living in the moment and taking it all in.
How often do you get on the chair these days and the people your with are instantly on their phone pushing buttons? Tweeting, playing Angry Bird, instagraming, surfing the internet and they don’t even say hi? Often.
I Can Work from the Chair, dude.
Lets say your an office worker and you find a way to sneak out of the office on a weekday. With your smart phone you can keep up with all your emails, phone meetings, and even do some internet research from the chairlift. Hell, you can likely even get away with being gone for the day without missing a beat in the office. You could develop a powder clause with work. “If it snows more then 6 inches, I’ll be working remotely.” And remotely would be from the chair and it would involve a lot more faceshots than you’d have gotten in the office that day. Wi-Fi on the chair is a no brainer for the guy in this situation.
I’m not too sure on which side of the fence to stand on this issue. I do know that I personally would rather see ski resorts spend money on lift/mountain improvements than on Wi-Fi on every chair.
The last idea here is an interesting one as well. In this modern day of cell phones, internet, and 3G, do we even need Wi-Fi on the chair? As long as there is cell service, you’ve got 3G and your rollin’ online already. A cell tower might be the easiest solution.
I’m curious what you guys think. Do we need Wi-Fi on the chair?