Hospitality Doctor
Max Hitchins
Go For Gold in February: Harnessing the Winter Olympics From February 6, the world will turn its attention to Italy for the 2026 Winter Olympics. For Australian pubs, bars, and bistros, this global sporting spectacle isn’t just a television event - it’s a golden opportunity to drive foot traffic, engage customers, and create memorable experiences. With the Games spanning 17 days and covering everything from skiing to snowboarding, the possibilities for venues to capitalise are endless. Firstly, these are few names of some Australian Winter Olympians who are Podium possibilities: • Jakara Anthony: Freestyle Moguls. She is a defending champion as she is a Beijing 2022 Olympic Gold medallist • Scotty James: Snowboard Halfpipe. Four- time Olympian with silver (2022) and bronze (2018) medals. Three-time World Champion; seven-time X Games gold medallist. • Valentino Guseli: Big Air Snowboard (Halfpipe/bronze medallist (2021, 2023). Competed at Beijing 2022 at age 16 (6th in halfpipe). Broke the world record for highest halfpipe air (2022). A “triple-threat” aiming to compete. • Ben Tudhope: Para-Snowboard Cross SB- LL2. He is Australia’s youngest-ever Winter Paralympian. He debuted at age 14 in 2014. Beijing 2022, where Tudhope delivered a thrilling performance to claim bronze in snowboard cross SB-LL2, securing Australia’s first Winter Paralympic medal of the Games.
Thirdly, I asked for some help from ChatGPT. This was recommended: Building Atmosphere: Theming is key. Decorate with Australian flags, create a “Podium Corner” for selfies, and hand out novelty medals to patrons. Hashtag campaigns like #ChasingWinterGold can amplify reach, with customers sharing their Olympic experiences from your venue online. Trivia, Quizzes, and Prediction Games: A surefire way to engage customers is through interactive fun. Host Winter Olympics trivia nights featuring quirky facts, highlight reels, and questions drawn from the new book Chasing Winter Gold. Patrons can also enter prediction competitions, guessing medal tallies or winners of key events. Prizes could include bar vouchers or signed copies of the book, making the Olympics more personal and rewarding. Daily ‘Winter Gold Moments: ’Keep the Games alive across the fortnight by showing short highlight packages each night. Regularly check ChasingGold.com.au for information you can share. Trivia nights and medal prediction comps with prizes including bar vouchers or signed copies of Chasing Winter Gold — the first Olympic book with QR codes linking to highlight videos. Free exposure for you: Share details with us at ChasingGold.com.au . Send us information and pictures telling about what your venue is doing to involve, include and entertain your customers during the Winter Olympics. Share QR Codes: Our book Chasing Winter Gold is the first ever Winter Olympic Games book allowing you to read and be inspired by some of the world’s best Winter Olympians. As well as reading about them, you will find with each Olympian’s story a separate QR code which can be easily scanned. Suddenly you are watching this same Olympian performing or telling their story. We have structured the QR codes allowing you to copy them from the book and share it with your customers in flyers, on coasters or in you emails to your database.
Secondly, I want to introduce you to CHASING WINTER GOLD. my granddaughter and I are the authors of this book. Proudly I tell It is designed to inspire, enthuse and reveal all you need to know about these 2026 Winter Olympics.
More details at ChasingGold.com.au
69 Tasmanian Hospitality Review October/November Edition
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