Industry News
Big White Ski Resort, British Columbia, Canada, has been voted the winner of Best International Ski Resort for Families in the 2025 Out & About with Kids Readers’ Choice Awards.
“We are grateful and proud to have been chosen by the readers of Out & About with Kids for this award. Our staff put so much time and energy into the family experience,” Carl Scotton, Kids’ Centre operations manager, said in a press release. “Big White has had a vision to support the kids and family experience since before I started here in 2011, and I’ve seen years of work go into designing and delivering great days for families.”
More than 40,000 Australian families took part in the voting. This is Big White’s first win in the category since 2014.
“This award is a strong endorsement from Australian families who trust your brand,” Elisa Elwin said, the CEO, owner, publisher, and editor-in-chief of Out & About with Kids. “It confirms Big White’s position as a leader in family travel.”
The recognition aligns with the resort’s ongoing work to strengthen family experiences across the mountain.
Scotton said the new Kids’ Centre for the Ski and Board School and the new Tot Town Daycare were built as part of the company’s strategic plan to make a parent’s day easier and a kid’s day more fun. “We have the snow, the terrain, and the staff, and our goal remains the same. We want families to enjoy our winter wonderland.”
Big White is preparing to open Phase 2 of its Kids’ Centre expansion in the Village Centre Mall for the 2025-26 winter season. The final stage of the project includes the new Tot Town Daycare and a dedicated space for children aged four to five.
“Families return to Big White year after year, and our goal is to make sure every part of their stay continues to evolve with the needs of today’s families,” Trevor Hanna, vice-president of hospitality said. The Kids’ Centre is designed to reflect the open, contemporary environments children are used to in school and childcare. There are places to play, watch movies and gather, along with improved food service and seamless slopeside access. With its new vehicle-accessible drop-off and Tot Town opening soon, the relocation project is nearly complete—and families are sure to enjoy the enhanced experience this season.”
The updated spaces build on the 2024 relocation of programming for ages six to twelve, which improved guest flow, energy efficiency, and overall use of the facility.
“Our focus is consistency and comfort,” Scotton said. “Kids can make friends, stay with the same instructor and feel connected. If families commit to skiing with us, we want to make their lives easier.”
Big White also has introduced its first January Ski & Snowboard Week, created for international guests visiting during the Australian and New Zealand school holiday period.
“We designed January Ski Week to make holidays easier for destination families,” Hanna said. “Kids have their own instructors, adults have theirs, and everyone comes together for an après reception. The same instructor stays with each group all week, which helps build confidence and improve progression. If this first year goes well, we hope to make it an annual program.”
The program includes:
- Three days of morning and afternoon two-hour lessons
- Groups matched by similar ability
- The same instructor each day
- A social afternoon at Happy Valley with complimentary drinks and appetizers
With international recognition now reinforcing years of investment in family-focused infrastructure and programming, Big White enters the 2025-26 season positioned as a leading destination for multigenerational travel. From expanded childcare and ski school facilities to new holiday programs designed around ease and progression, the latest developments signal a continued shift toward making every winter visit simpler, more comfortable, and more memorable for families returning from around the world.
