Frequently Asked Questions

Irish Passport holders:
Work in Canada Program http://canada.usit.ie

Do I need travel insurance?

If you are from the UK, we can recommend WorldNomad for travel insurance - click here for more information.

Health Cover
We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs, before you depart. Confirm that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away and check what circumstances are included in your policy to ensure your on-mountain activities are covered. Remember, if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel.

The standard of health facilities in Canada, New Zealand and Japan is comparable to Australia or the UK. However you will generally be expected to pay for treatment, which can be very expensive, so ensure you have sufficient travel insurance coverage.

Your doctor or travel clinic is the best source of information about preventive measures, immunisations and disease outbreaks overseas. The World Health Organisation (WHO) provides information for travelers: http://www.who.int/ith/en/index.html

Money & Valuables
Before you leave home, organise a variety of ways of accessing your money overseas, such as credit cards, traveler's cheques and cash. Check with your bank whether your ATM card will work overseas and what fees are associated with using it to avoid nasty surprises later. Whilst traveling, don't carry too much cash and remember that expensive watches, jewellery and cameras may be tempting targets for thieves.

Make two copies of valuable documents such as your passport, tickets, visas and traveler's cheques. Keep one copy with you in a separate place to your original documents and leave the other copy with someone at home. As a sensible precaution against luggage tampering, including theft, lock your luggage.

What do I do if I lose my passport?

Your passport is a valuable document that is attractive to criminals who may try to use your identity to commit crimes. It should always be kept in a safe place. If your passport is lost or stolen overseas, contact the nearest Embassy, High Commission or Consulate of your citizenship as soon as possible.

ACCOMMODATION

Can I stay in my own room?

Yes, single supplements are available on request if you prefer your own room in our 3 star condos. Our three-star share condos situated in Whistler Creekside provide spacious, modern accommodation within walking distance of the Creekside Gondola. Our 2 and 3 bedroom condos normally house 4 to 6 people (i.e. 2 share per room). The 2-bedroom condo has 2 full bathrooms and the 3-bedroom condo includes 3 full bathrooms. Both condos include full kitchen, dishwasher, laundry washer and drier, cable TV, DVD player, CD player, fireplace and balcony. One-bedroom suites are also available at an additional cost; just ask us for more details.

Can I arrange my own accommodation and still do a YES program?

Yes! You are welcome to join our program for instruction only if you have arranged your own accommodation. Price per week is CAD$660 including tax - this gives you 22 hours of top-level instruction and guiding per week. It also includes our evening functions and activities. Please note we can also assist you with a discounted lift pass if you wish.

For more information on accommodation options click on the following links: Whistler Niseko Wanaka

TRANSFERS

How do I get from Vancouver to Whistler?

The trip up the Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver to Whistler takes about 2 1/2 hours (depending on weather and traffic) and is a very scenic trip.

We recommend Ridebooker to organise your transfer from the airport to Whistler. They offer a variety of transfer methods from coaches to limos, and you can make a booking with them directly at: http://www.ridebooker.com Fill out your journey details under "Find My Ride!" and they will show you all the options and prices available. The journey by shuttle bus or coach costs about CAD$63 each way plus 5% GST, with the shuttle leaving more often than the standard coach timetable.

Yes Tours have a special arrangement with Ridebooker to drop you at the door of your accommodation - to ensure you get this service, enter "Yes Improvement Client" in the "Group Name" box and "Yes Tours door-to-door service" in the "Special Instructions" box when finalising your booking details. Ridebooker will meet you at the airport and will modify your shuttle timing if your flight is delayed to ensure you have a smooth journey to Whistler.

If you will be arriving late at night (after 10pm) or very early in the morning. If you would like us to book this for you please email you full flight arrival and departure details to: res@yesimprovement.com

YES PROGRAMS

What is the YES program itinerary?

The weekly instruction program is made up of: 1 day guiding and 4 days of instruction (4 hours/day plus a lunch break). Group sizes are limited to a maximum of 7 people to ensure you are with like-minded people of similar ability level. The weekly program also includes video analysis, lift line queue priority, in-resort service and welcome and farewell functions.

We develop your skills in varying terrain to suit your ability level. You will become more proficient when skiing/boarding in powder, through moguls, off piste - and of course on the groomed slopes. The week concludes with a written personalized evaluation of your week, which includes suggestions for future development.

Our programs run from Saturday to Saturday and you can join as many weeks together as you like. Our first day on snow is Sunday - we meet at Dusty's at the base of the Creekside Gondola at 8.30am for a guiding day, which is when we work out groups by ability level. Our instruction days are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. We meet at 9.30am for a 10am start each day at the Roundhouse on Whistler Mountain. We have a break for lunch around 12 and our day on the hill finishes at about 3pm.

The majority of our clients stay 2 weeks at a time to benefit from the weekend rest and to practice the things that they learned the week prior. This allows them to capitalize on their improvement and make even greater strides towards higher skiing levels.

Joining us for the first week you are here is the best thing you can do for your skiing - then you can use your newfound skills during the rest of your holiday.

Am I good enough? What level of skier or snowboarder do I need to be to join a YES program?

High Ski/Ride Ability Level

We do not have any top end to our programs. We have people who have been over 10 times, who have their CSIA or CASI Level 2 and come back to refresh and keep learning. There is still so much to learn - at every level. That is the beauty of skiing, isn't it!

At the higher end of skiing we take the tack of a ski coach rather than rigid lessons and keep the pace up and the stoppage to a minimum. Goals take on a more "open-defined" approach in that the options are limitless (steeps, bumps, powder, trees, short radius, long radius) but the tactics for each situation are specified and focus for each individual is discussed. Skiing with others is what skiing is all about - we call it an "individually social" sport - lots of personal satisfaction from skiing better - but no fun if no one is there to share a good run with!

Low Ski/Ride Ability Level

As long as you are linking turns on a blue run you should fit into one of our groups - if you are not up to that level then we will organise to have you join appropriate ski school classes during the same days our other clients are in our ski groups until you are at a comfortable level to join one of our groups.

Of course you will still be fully involved in all our après events even if you are in ski school for the first few days. You can still benefit from our program and our experienced coaches.

What if I am a beginner? Do you have a program for me?

The YES Program is designed for improvement from above beginner level. So if you wish to join the program at a beginner level, we will book you into normal full day beginner ski school lessons on the same days as the YES Program runs (Sun, Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri). You will still be able to join us for all the other YES off-snow activities. We will monitor your progress throughout the week and as soon as you have reached the level of our lowest YES group we will move you into that group.

Do you cater for children?

We do cater for children, what they will do depends on their ages but as a basic guide we book them into one of the Whistler Kids programs for the same time frame that the parents are on the YES Program. The cost will be similar to our instruction cost which is CAD$660 per person per week. They are very well looked after on these programs. Depending on the ages and whether they ski or board, we can direct you to the most suitable programs for them.

Where do you offer YES programs?

We offer Ski and Board Improvement Programs in Whistler, Canada; Niseko, Japan; and Wanaka, New Zealand. We offer Ski and Board Instructor Training Programs in Whistler only.

Do you go anywhere else apart from Whistler, Niseko and Wanaka?

Not at the moment but we are always looking into new opportunities - if you would be interested in doing a program elsewhere drop us a line and we'll get back to you: res@yesimprovement.com

How long do YES programs take?

All our Improvement Programs are a week long, they run from Saturday to Saturday and you can join together as many weeks as you like.

Out first day on snow is Sunday; we meet at Dusty's at the base of the Creekside Gondola at 8.30am for a guiding day. This gives you a chance to find your skiing legs and lets us assess your ability so we can organise groups of similar ability for the rest of the week. Our instruction days are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. We meet at 9.30am for a 10am start each day at the Roundhouse on Whistler Mountain. We have a break for lunch around 12 and the day on the hill finishes at about 3pm.

The majority of our clients stay 2 weeks at a time to benefit from the weekend rest and to practice the skills they have learned in the first week. This allows them to capitalize on their improvements and make even greater strides towards higher skiing levels.

Our Instructor Programs range from 3 to 11 weeks in length, depending on what your goals are we will certainly have a program to suit you.

What is the average age of people on the YES program?

Our average age is about 32 for our improvement programs and 25 for instructor programs but each program can vary.

WORKING IN CANADA

Will I be able to work in Canada after I do my YES Instructor program?

Successful candidates, on completion of the Instructor Training Program, may be able to arrange work with Whistler Blackcomb Ski & Snowboard School, provided that you have a valid Canadian working visa. YES have strong contacts with the School and can introduce you to the right person.

For more information on Canadian working visas,click here

In addition to the work visa, to be able to work or do work experience, candidates must have:

• Social Insurance Number (SIN or proof of application) - we recommend you arrange this when you arrive in Vancouver (or other major Canadian city), as you cannot apply for this in Whistler and it must be done in person.
• Bank account in Canada - this can be easily set up on arrival in Whistler with Scotia Bank, TD Canada Trust or North Shore Credit Union.
• A Criminal Record Check (CRC) - best to get one of these from your local Police Station before you leave for Canada. If you wait until you get here, they are much more expensive (over CAD$100) and can take up to 6 weeks to process. This means if you want to work for the Ski & Snowboard School, then you cannot work until you have your CRC approved.

Do I need a visa if I plan to work?

Unless you are a Canadian citizen, you will need a visa to work in Canada. For more information on work visasclick here

EQUIPMENT

Should I buy ski or boarding equipment at home or in the resort?

If you are coming to Whistler, you should definitely make your purchases in Canada. There is an enormous selection of stores to choose from and we have great relationships with some of the very best so would be only too happy to point you in the right direction to ensure you are well looked after. Also you can benefit from discussing what you need with our pros - they will be able to advise on what sort of equipment from the huge range available will be best for you and your skiing/riding style. You may also be able to get staff discounts off equipment if purchased in the resort.

The right equipment can make a real difference to your skiing or riding - particularly if you are planning on taking an instructor training program, you will benefit from help in making the right choice once you get to Whistler. You will also benefit from being able to demo equipment before you buy to make sure you are happy before you commit. The cost of a demo is usually offset against your purchase.

If you are going to Wanaka or Niseko, you may chose to buy equipment before your trip although there is a good selection available in resort and you can still benefit from the advice of our pros if you are not sure what to choose. You may also be able to demo equipment before you commit to buying to be sure you are making the right choice.

Where can I rent equipment?

There are plenty of choices in resort to rent equipment, we can point you in the right direction once you get here. You can also demo equipment if you are thinking of buying - the cost of the demo is normally offset against your eventual purchase.

PAYMENT

How can I pay for my YES program?

Whistler & Niseko Payments: (For Wanaka payments, click here)

All payments should to be made out to YES Tours Inc. A $400 deposit is due upon confirmation of a booking, and then full payment is due 60 days prior to the program start date. Payment can be made by cheque (in CAD $), direct deposit to our Canadian bank or by credit card (click here for details). Please email full details of the cheque or direct deposit to res@yesimprovement.com so we can promptly credit you account and issue your client voucher.

Direct Deposit for CAD
Route Through:
Royal Bank of Canada
ABA # 021 000 021

For further Credit to:
Royal Bank of Canada, Whistler Branch,
101 - 4000 Whistler Way,
Whistler, B.C. V0N 1B4

Branch # 08500 003

For the benefit of:
YES TOURS INC
Acc # 100-4597

Payment by Cheque
Post CAD cheques to:
YES TOURS INC
PO Box 1390,
Whistler, B.C., V0N 1B0,
CANADA

Wanaka Payments:

To confirm your booking, we require $400 deposit paid either into our Australian account or by cheque or credit card (MasterCard, VISA or AMEX) directly to the Edgewater Resort in New Zealand. See below for full payment details or click here for credit card payments. Please email full details of the deposit to res@yesimprovement.com so we can promptly credit your account and issue the client voucher. All payments are to be made out to YES TOURS INC.

Direct Deposit (Australian $)
Direct Deposit if preferred as payment method as we can confirm receipt immediately.

ANZ Bank
Branch # 013839
Acc # 589458048

Payment by Cheque
All cheque payments are to be made out to Edgewater Resort with reference to your YES Tours reservation.

Post cheques to:
Attn: Reservations Edgewater Resort
PO Box 61
Wanaka
New Zealand

Can I pay by credit card?

Payments for Whistler or Niseko: We can accept credit card payments by VISA, MasterCard or AMEX and this is how the majority of our clients pay. Please provide your card number, expiry date and CVD security code. The CVD is a 3 or 4 digit code on the back of the credit card (for Visa and MasterCard) or in the case of American Express cards, on the front.

Payments for Wanaka: Credit card payments can be made directly to Edgewater Resort. Please phone the Edgewater Resort on +64 (0)3 443 8311 or fax +61 (0)3 443 8323 with reference to you YES Tours reservation. Alternatively, we are happy to organise this for you if you send us your credit card details to res@yesimprovement.com

IN RESORT

Do I need to tip?

We know that most of you come from countries where tipping is not common. In Canada as in the USA, it is common to tip for most services such as: taxi drivers, hairdressers, bartenders and servers. The regular amount is 15% of your bill in restaurants or bars. For taxi drivers and hairdressers you can just add a couple of dollars to the bill. It is also customary to tip our instructors. We recommend $25+ per person per week for your instructor.