More than one in 10 on winter sports holiday don’t ski or board
More than 10% of those booking a winter sports holiday don’t actually go downhill skiing or snow boarding, according to a new report.
It found that other activities in winter resorts are becoming increasingly important, especially for families, and 14% of those who visit don’t take to the downhill slopes at all.
The Changing Face of Family Skiing report by Club Med found that 81% of Britons agree there is more to do on a ski holiday than downhill skiing and boarding and are opting for other activities.
These include cross-country skiing, dog-sledding, snow walking and ice climbing, while almost of third of those considering booking a ski holiday said a spa was important. They were prepared to pay an average of £50 per activity.
Two thirds (61%) of those questioned agreed that with the extra activities on offer, ski and snowboarding holidays are now a better experience for children than they used to be. More than a third said they would look more favourably at resorts that offered a range of alternative activities.
According to the results from the report, skiing continues to remain a popular choice for families, with 93% considering a snow sports holiday.
Club Med said its bookings for winter family holidays were up 9% for this season versus last, with a large proportion having not skied before.
Estelle Giraudeau, Club Med UK managing director, said; "Skiing is more popular than ever with the British market, yet over a tenth of people heading on a ski holiday during the 2015/16 will now choose to opt-out of skiing or boarding altogether.
" At Club Med we recognise that, with 43% looking for alternative adventurous activities, such as riding snowmobiles, it’s more important than ever to continue to grow the alternative options available to holidaymakers. "
Celebrated British ski-jumper Eddie "the Eagle" Edwards said: "When I competed in the 1988 Winter Olympics skiing was popular with British families – but you rarely saw people snowboarding, and alternative activities on the slopes barely existed. Nowadays it’s not just skiing we want to do on the slopes which means, even if you’re not an Olympic-standard skier, there’s now loads of great activities available to Brits heading for the mountain including tobogganing, ice-skating and snow-shoeing to name a few."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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