…
The Global Economic Crisis has caused a severe downturn in the travel industry as people stay at home due to the looming threat of a UK recession -but skiers and snowboarders seem not to share the general mood, with bookings 10% up on this time last year.
This is in stark contrast to what is happening in the rest of the travel business, with bookings for winter sun holidays falling by as much as a third in October. The travel industry was braced for a catastrophe, but now large numbers of Britain’s 900,000 skiers and boarders are booking holidays in the Alps this winter, and latest figures show that bookings are up on the same period last year.
However, the number of people going to ski in North America has dropped substantially and there is little expectation that business will pick up.
One significant change to winter sports holidays caused by the current economic climate is the number of people planning to drive to the Alps. It takes eight hours to drive to the main resorts in the French Alps with motorway virtually the whole way. Leading to specialist chalet operators, that allow guests to make their own travel arrangements, being inundated with booking enquiries.
“Many of our guests spend all year looking forward to their holiday in the mountains, and it seems that even in the current economic climate they will not be denied their week on the slopes” comments Michael Broom Smith, Managing Director of luxury chalet specialists, Purple Ski (who offer guests the chance to enjoy a top-class ski holiday in the prestigious French alpine resort of Meribel, set right in the heart of Les Trois Vallees – the largest inter-linked ski area in the world).
“Driving works out much more economical than flying, when you put four people and skis in a car. And when you consider that our prices start from as low as £512 pp this winter – which includes Cordon Bleu chefs cooking guests a four-course dinner every evening, as well as unlimited beer, wine and soft drinks – chalet holidays are still the best value for money way to enjoy a ski or board holiday.”
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
