Advancements in skiing equipment technology has also meant that recreational skiers can experience both higher speeds and more control on-piste and also search more easily for the legendary powder snow that can be found off-piste.

Demands on ski schools and instructors to cope with the speed of skier and snowboarder advancement has meant thinking out of the box for many established and new businesses in major alpine winter resorts.

Specialist snowboard schools have been created to serve the growing number of beginners who need help and guidance during those early days. Snowboarding can be more physical at the start and for this reason a dedicated snowboard instructor will be able to help with the challenges encountered at those early stages. Many snowboarders choose to go alone after these initial lessons but having specialist instruction from a snowsports professional at all levels will increase the learning potential, and ultimately the pleasure gained. As a snowboarder, choose a school that represents the ethos and lifestyle of the snowboarding culture and try out everything from carving to park tricks.

Telemarking, the original form of skiing where the heel of the boot is not attached to the ski is as popular as ever and many skiers want the opportunity to try the sport on their winter sports holiday. There are not many pure telemark ski schools in existence but there are some schools that actively promote Telemarking as part of their package and employ experienced staff who are qualified Telemark instructors. It is crucial to have professional coaching in telemark skiing as the techniques are quite precise and getting things wrong at the start will have negative consequences for the future.

With the popularity of off piste skiing growing every year the role of the mountain guide has never been more important. A mountain guide is a qualified professional who holds a specialist qualification (UIAGM). These dedicated mountain professionals are not ski instructors but extreme alpine experts with knowledge of the mountain environment. They are qualified to lead people over glaciated terrain, attach ropes for safety and lead multi day ski tours through the mountains. A ski coach diploma holder (in France) is able to guide and coach you over much of the off piste terrain, technically the non glaciated areas. These professionals specialise in off piste ski technique coaching not just guiding.

Many ski schools and private instructors also run specialist coaching clinics for a variety of disciplines. For example, you can learn to ski through slalom gates like the racers you see on television! Of course you need to be at a certain level of skiing, but there are many ski schools that can prepare you for this stage. Never skied off piste? Then search out a specialist off piste clinic that concentrates specifically on the necessary techniques that are essential for safe and enjoyable experiences in the powder.

With an abundance of choice out there it is up to you to decide what you want and find what ski school, instructor or guiding service will suit you best. If what you want to do is simply improve your skiing, well, that’s what all good ski or snowboard instructors want to do for you, so enjoy yourself and if you are not happy in one place then remember, you can always go 3 doors down to the next ski school in town.