17 July 2008

Ski holiday prices rise by 7-8 per cent

The price of ski holidays for next year has risen by around 7-8 per cent compared with last season but bookings have not yet been affected, according to Crystal Ski.

Speaking at the launch of the operatorÃ¢â¬â¢s annual ski report, managing director Mathew Prior said the increasing price of fuel and the poor sterling/euro exchange rate had left companies with no choice but to put prices up.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœPrices have gone up on average by 7-8 per cent and slightly more than that in peak season,Ã¢â¬~ he said.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœBut there are good early booking offers to temper the effects. However, you canÃ¢â¬â¢t get away from the fact that prices have had to rise. For US trips, the rises are slightly smaller.Ã¢â¬~

Prior said bookings for the 2008-09 season were strong, despite the uncertain economy.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœDemand for next year is pretty good,Ã¢â¬~ he said. Ã¢â¬ÅâœThereÃ¢â¬â¢s no evidence yet of people trading down. Skiing is not just a holiday, itÃ¢â¬â¢s a hobby, a pastime and we expect the ski holiday to remain an unavoidable fixture in the calendar.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœHowever, people may become more selective about who they travel with and what they buy.Ã¢â¬~

CrystalÃ¢â¬â¢s predictions of hot resorts for next season are Whistler in Canada, Formigal in Spain, Ischgl in Austria, Finnish resorts such as Levi, and Davos and Klosters in Switzerland.

Prior said his tip for families was to travel at Easter.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœItÃ¢â¬â¢s a great time for families. The weather can be warm with good snow. ItÃ¢â¬â¢s easy to get obsessed by half term but there are other options.Ã¢â¬~

By Jeremy Skidmore (www.jeremyskidmore.com)