Skiers at the newly renovated Owl’s Head resort in Quebec can enjoy convenient ticketing, cashless payment and hassle-free lift access thanks to a new RFID installation by Connect&Go.
Located in Mansonville on the edge of Lake Memphremagog, Owl’s Head reopened under new ownership in December. Operator Destination Owl’s Head has partnered with the Montreal tech company to offer a fully connected and customised ticketing platform.
Guests can purchase their lift tickets online before they arrive, but can also purchase them in person at the resort. They can choose the Echo day pass or Ninoxe season pass. Once they have purchased their pass, users register a personalised profile on the digital platform. This gives them access to a variety of resort benefits.
For example, guests do not need to worry about carrying their wallet around during their ski trip. By loading funds directly onto the connected RFID card, they can make cashless purchases with any vendor at the resort, simply by tapping the card. Parents can also load funds onto their children’s cards to allow for monitored spending.
Ski and go
In addition to the ticketing and payment functions offered by Connect&GO, Owl’s Head has installed the company’s Ski & Go smart portals to control access at the busy ski hill. Replacing the previous barcode system, now each skier’s Echo or Ninoxe pass is detected as they approach the portal. Lights then indicate whether or not they have permission to access the area. Guests of the resort can also take advantage of self-serve card dispensers and access lockers using the passes.
The Owl’s Head installation has many of the same features offered by Connect&Go at various large events around the world, including music festivals. Product director Alexandre Bourassa adds that the cashless system was “inspired by the frictionless payment experience offered by Uber.”
Furthermore, pass users at Owl’s Head can include allergy and blood type information in their personal profile. In the event of an emergency, staff simply scan the guest’s card to find their registered health details.
Connect&GO is the first Canadian company to offer a connected alternative for ski resorts in a market dominated by a handful of Austrian companies. Yet the company’s co-founder Dominic Gagnon believes it has all the right credentials. “Our winter climate, paired with our exceptional expertise in developing tech for the leisure industry, gives us a clear advantage,” he says.
Connect&Go in Europe
Owl’s Head is not the only installation of late from Connect&Go in a ski environment. The company’s technology has just gone into use at the new Folie Douce hotel complex in Chamonix, France. Guests at the ski-in, ski-out property can unlock their room doors and make quick, cashless purchases using a flexible payment system.
On the back of this and other European work, such as its recent implementation of its Parkpass system at London’s Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, Connect&Go plans to expand its business in this market with the opening of a new office in Paris.
