Sally and Mandy Whitewoods at the Gay Ski Week closing party Planning is already underway for the 2013 Gay Ski Week after what organisers say was a “dazzling” re-entrance of the Queenstown event. Organisers Sally and Mandy Whitewoods estimate the event brought through more than 1,000 visitors to Queenstown and the Southern Lakes region throughout the week. They said they were “thrilled” with the success of their first event and “blown away” with the level of support shown by the Queenstown community. “We’ve hosted jam packed events all week long and it just couldn’t have gone better,” Sally Whitewoods says. “We knew we were off to a great start with significant pre-event ticket sales, then as the week went on interest just grew and grew. “It’s been an amazing week and we’re all already looking forward to next year. “I’ve heard amazing feedback from Gay Ski Week attendees who were impressed by our little piece of paradise and the welcome they received, and can’t wait to see what we have on the programme in 2013.” Sally and Mandy Whitewoods say next year’s Gay Ski Week Queenstown which will be held from Saturday 31 August until Saturday 7 September. The couple says it could not have achieved what it did for the first event without the support of sponsors and the Southern Lakes community. “This year was all about us showing the gay and lesbian community the standard of event we are capable of putting on, and encouraging them to visit Queenstown and the region all year round and not just for Gay Ski Week,” Sally says. “The support of sponsors has been outstanding and we’re looking forward to welcoming many of them back for 2013.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 5th September 2012 - 9:42am