ountain goes smokefree on World Smokefree Day
MT RUAPEHU 31 MAY 2018: There’s nothing like breathing that fresh mountain air on the slopes of Mt Ruapehu, it’s one of the treats of the ski and snowboard season. And it’s about to get that much fresher as the mountain officially becomes smokefree today on World Smokefree Day.
Ruapehu Alpine Lifts Ltd (RAL), which operates both Whakapapa and Turoa ski areas, now has a smokefree policy in all indoor and outdoor areas of both ski fields, just in time for the opening of the ski season.
Mt Ruapehu General Manager of People and Performance Andy Hoyle, says there are many reasons that the time felt right to make the mountain smokefree, one of which is the government’s goal of a Smokefree Aotearoa by 2025.
“That is something we as an organisation support and believe in. In the end we’re in the business of sports and leisure and as part of that it’s important to promote and support healthy lifestyles, not just for our staff but for the general public as well,” Andy says.
While indoor areas of the ski fields are already covered by smokefree laws, the new Ruapehu policy will extend to all outdoor public use areas of Whakapapa and Turoa.
“The other aspect of this is that we are privileged to operate in the pristine surrounds of Tongariro National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Anything we can do to preserve and protect our part of it – from cleaner air to fewer cigarette butts littering the ground – we have a responsibility to do.”
All visitors to the mountain lighting up this season will be politely asked to refrain by staff. “In the end it’s about creating a more pleasant environment for everybody to enjoy the mountain,” Andy says.
2018 Mt Ruapehu Season Passes are on sale now. Find out more at mtruapehu.com
