SINGAPORE – Come December, Mr John Tan and his family will be heading to Japan’s Nagano. The prefecture played host to the 1998 Winter Olympics and boasts the highest mountain ranges in the country.
Mr Tan, 42, an entrepreneur who runs several businesses including a travel company, and his lawyer-wife Maryanne Soo, 46, have been going on snow holidays with their five children regularly.
The upcoming trip will be the eighth ski season for their firstborn Cameron, 13, and the third one for their youngest child, Quinn, six.
Their other kids are Summer, 12; Cory, 10; and Sienna, eight.
“Our kids love the snow. In fact, I’ve not met a child who doesn’t,” Mr Tan says. “Once they see the snow, they forget the cold and want to play.”
His children started taking ski lessons after they turned four, the minimum age recommended by most instructors, he adds.
“Skiing is a great way for kids to build resilience. It’s not a sport they can learn in a day. They learn to fall, pick themselves up and keep trying. Once they get the hang of it, they want to go fast and get better.”
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It is also one of few sports that bond parents and children. Unlike football, for instance, which usually does not interest the mum and girls, skiing brings the whole family together, he says.
On their trip to Nagano, they will be joined by other families from Singapore who have signed up for the holiday experience under Mr Tan’s Yamayama Travel company.
It is the first time the company is offering a winter itinerary. A six-night stay with a ski programme for two adults and two kids, aged 12 and below, costs about $6,000.
Mr Tan offered three travel periods in December for booking and had hoped to draw eight families for each trip. The response has been overwhelmingly positive.
“I was expecting about 24 families and I have 70 now,” he says, adding that he has had to increase the group size for each trip.
Other travel industry players that The Straits Times spoke to also report a growing demand for winter holidays. Singaporeans are drawn to destinations which offer a refreshing change of scenery and climate.
Tour agency Chan Brothers Travel’s marketing communications assistant director Jeremiah Wong says the November and December bookings for itineraries covering Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden have increased by 30 per cent. These are regions where travellers can catch the Northern Lights.
Tours to north-eastern China’s ski resorts, snow villages and ice festivals are also much sought after, with a 25 per cent rise in bookings in November and December.
Both sets of figures are compared with the same period in 2019.
Closer to home, Japan and South Korea continue to be top destinations for winter travel for young families, matching levels seen in 2019, Mr Wong adds.
Separately, a 2023 survey by resort operator Club Med reveals that Singaporeans’ top five snow holiday locations are Japan, Switzerland, China, South Korea and France.
The survey of 500 respondents in Singapore also shows that 38 per cent of them have been on a snow holiday in the last five years. About 60 per cent of respondents say the ideal age for kids to start learning winter sports is from four to 10 years old.
“Snow holidays are fast becoming a bucket-list experience for young families,” says Mr Olivier Monceau, 54, general manager of Club Med Singapore and Malaysia.
Some of his most precious family memories are made on the slopes, where his two daughters Alissa, 14, and Laetitia, 11, took ski lessons and were slowly mastering their curves a few years ago.
“The joy and pride on their faces when they ran towards their mother and I – skis in hand and beaming with smiles – is something I’ll cherish forever,” he adds.
Taking children on a winter holiday is an exciting adventure, but a common oversight that parents make is underestimating the sub-zero temperature.
“Parents often pack insufficient layers for their children, leading to discomfort in freezing conditions.” says Mr Wong, adding that it is crucial to have thermal clothing, insulated jackets, waterproof gloves and extra layers to ensure warmth.
Dr Natalie Epton, a specialist paediatrician and neonatologist, explains that wearing multiple layers is better than a single thick layer. The layers help to trap warm air and provide insulation to the body. One can also easily adjust to temperature changes by removing or adding layers.
Stay snug by wearing a winter hat or beanie too, as body heat also escapes from the head, says Dr Epton, who works at SBCC Baby and Child Clinic at Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre.
Shoes need to fit well, and be sturdy and waterproof.
“Don’t make do with hand-me-downs that don’t fit your child’s feet appropriately,” she adds. “Your child, and therefore you, will be miserable if his or her feet are hurting due to ill-fitting footwear.”
Consider renting winter gear for your children, if a good option is available.
Mr Monceau says: “I realised it’s far more practical to rent for the kids, as they grow up so quickly.”
Besides clothing, pay attention to skincare. Your kids may not be used to applying face and body moisturiser and lip balm in humid Singapore, but they are necessary in cold climates.
If your children have sensitive or eczema-prone skin, try out the moisturiser before the vacation, says Dr Darryl Lim, a consultant paediatrician from Kinder Clinic at Mount Alvernia Medical Centre.
Ensure that you have packed topical and oral medications to relieve inflammation in case of an eczema flare-up.
Another common mistake is to leave out sunscreen during winter. Dr Epton says: “Sun exposure is a significant concern when you are skiing in the mountains. If the sun is reflecting off snow as well, it is possible you get very sunburnt.”
Slather on sunscreen with SPF50 over exposed areas of the face and reapply if you are staying outdoors for a prolonged period of time.
It is also important to tell your children not to pick their nose or blow their nose too vigorously.
This is because the cold, dry weather can trigger nose bleeds, she says. Nasal saline sprays or gels can help moisten the nose passages.
If your child experiences a nose bleed, ask him or her to sit down, leaning forward slightly. Pinch firmly on the soft area of the nose, just below the nasal bone, for five minutes.
You may be tempted to release the pressure to check on the condition before the five minutes are up, but this can cause the bleeding to resume or continue longer, she cautions.
Compared with holidaying in cities, it is all the more important to have a well-stocked travel health kit when you go to snowy destinations. Some places can be quite isolated or the pharmacies may close early, says Dr Lim.
Besides prescribed medications that a family member takes regularly, pack remedies for fever, like paracetamol and ibuprofen, and antihistamine, such as Zyrtec and Clarityne, for runny nose or an itchy rash.
Although the cold, dry air can trigger asthma attacks, children with mild and well-controlled asthma should not experience shortness of breath during winter, so you need not be overly worried.
Besides, you should have already been advised by their doctors on what to do if an attack were to occur and have their asthma medications on standby, he reminds.
Children with previous wheezing episodes should have their inhalers with a space chamber. Take along a new one, so it does not run out while you are away, as most do not have a dose counter.
If you are packing a nebuliser, check that the machine can handle the voltage of the country you are visiting.
Ice and snow are great for play, but running on these slippery surfaces also means a greater risk for falls and injuries, Dr Lim adds.
Keep an eye on your kids and also help them understand the dangers. Brief them on the dos and don’ts – such as no running outdoors and holding on to handrails on stairs – ahead of the trip.