Russian Tourists At Ski Resorts – Reckless But Generous

Russian skiers are the least likely to wear helmets but they prefer the most difficult ski routes. They tip generously and order expensive wine -- a survey shows.

According to a survey by French company Temmos, managing a hotel chain in the French Alps, Russian tourists are among the most reckless skiers of all Europeans. Only 27% of them wear helmets on the slopes while 76% of them go for “red” routes that are the most difficult.

The amount of Russians skiing with helmets increased over the last three seasons only by 5%. This proportion is however quite different from the other European tourists who generally show a clear tendency to increase their skiing safety.

For example, 56% of French tourists wear helmets and about 70% of them prefer the red routes; among Germans – 63% of the skiers have helmets and 71% opt for red routes. Both nations have shown great progress over the past few years since the helmet use rates during the last three seasons increased among the French by 10% and among the Germans by 12%, reported Tourprom.ru.