Åre, one of the leading ski resorts in Sweden, has teamed up with fintech start-up iZettle to bring cashless payments to the world ski championships.
The partnership will see the launch of a cashless payment system to 120,000 spectators for the first time in history, at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships.
In collaboration with iZettle, several Åre cash points selling a variety of goods and services from food and drinks to entry tickets will be completely cashless, utilising iZettle’s small-business commerce platform.
Already one of the leading countries in the cashless trend, the Åre innovation has earned Sweden global headlines.
At Åre 2019, visitors and participants will be able to safely and easily use contactless cards, phones or wearable technology to pay for a variety of goods and services. The aim of the scheme is to reduce queues at points of sale. It will also allow consumers to participate in skiing events and enjoy the championships without having to worry about carrying cash.
“Contributing to a cashless World Ski Championships in Europe’s most cashless country is fantastic, and a win-win for visitors and sellers alike,” said Sara Arildsson, Chief Operating Officer at iZettle.
“Together with Åre 2019’s event team we will ensure that vendors have the tools they need to get paid and sell smarter, whilst making paying as seamless as using a ski pass.”
The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships is set to attract 120,000 spectators from all around the world, making it the second-largest winter sports competition in terms of size, after the Olympic Winter Games.
The event will be a good opportunity to show how cashless payments can combine extensive winter sports events and a world-class consumer experience, even in the most unthought of locations.
CFO of Åre 2019 Cecilia Hedenmark stated: “We want the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Åre 2019 to be a fantastic experience for our visitors, and to be cash free contributes to that.
“Åre 2019 wants to focus on the right things offering smooth solutions for payments and giving both visitors and co-workers a safe, cash free arena.”
