Scots offered free ski passes - in Iceland!

Skiers and snowboarders in Scotland are to be given free passes to the slopes in Iceland as part of a ground breaking deal to boost winter sports in both countries.

Skiers and snowboarders with a season pass to resorts in Scotland are invited to visit the slopes in Iceland - for free. PIC Visit Iceland.

Delegates at the North Atlantic Ski Areas’ Association (NASAA) conference at The Lecht last month struck the agreement that will allow season pass holders in one country free access to resorts in the other.

As a result, anyone buying a season ticket from CairnGorm Mountain, Glencoe Mountain, Glenshee, Nevis Range or The Lecht this winter, or who has purchased an all-area season pass from Ski-Scotland, can enjoy free uplift at any of Iceland’s nine ski areas, just by showing their season pass.

Heather Negus, chair of Ski-Scotland, said: “We believe this is the first international agreement between all snowsports areas in two countries.

“While there is cross-border co-operation between individual ski areas elsewhere, what makes this unique is that it includes absolutely every lift at every resort in both Scotland and Iceland.

“With daily flights linking Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh with Reykjavik, we believe many of our customers will see this as a wonderful opportunity to ski or snowboard on new terrain and enjoy the culture of a new country. And of course, we also look forward to welcoming Icelandic skiers and boarders to Scotland’s mountain resorts.”

The announcement of this agreement comes just days after Scotland’s First Minister signed a memorandum of understanding between Scotland and Iceland which formalised the working relationship between VisitScotland and the Icelandic Tourist Board.

Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland, said: “Both Scotland and Iceland are small countries that punch well above their weight on the global tourism stage.

“VisitScotland and the Icelandic Tourist Board have built a strong and mutually beneficial relationship over the past three years, culminating in the recently announced formal agreement between the two organisations.

“This historic collaboration will see the sharing of information and best practice on areas such as quality development, information provision and sustainability.

“The agreement at the North Atlantic Ski Areas’ Association conference is another great example of innovative partnership work between the two nations and we look forward to welcoming many Icelandic snowsports enthusiasts to Scotland’s stunning mountain resorts in the coming months and years.”

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