Strong pound brings down cost of ski holidays
Skiers will enjoy lower prices in most resorts this winter thanks to the strength of the pound.
Even after prices dropped last season, the costs of extras such as ski school, ski hire, lift passes and eating out have fallen again in 75% of the 27 resorts surveyed.
In 10 resorts, the percentage fall reached double digits (see list below).
According to the ninth annual Post Office Travel Money Ski Resort Report, published in conjunction with Crystal Ski, prices have fallen in many French, Austrian and Italian resorts.
Italy remains the best value of the ‘big four’ and an 11% drop in price in its cheapest resort, Livigno, helped it overtake Austria’s Ellmau and move into third place in the barometer.
In second-placed, Kranjska Gora saw prices fall by almost 12%, closing the gap with Bansko, which is the best value resort for the fifth year running.
"Skiers heading to many resorts in Europe will benefit from sterling’s increased strength," said Andrew Brown of Post Office Travel Money.
"This means that even where local prices have edged up, UK tourists will find the cost of skiing as well as meals and drinks noticeably cheaper this winter said:
"While skiing remains cheapest in Bulgaria and Slovenia, our research reveals that long-established favourites in France, Austria and Italy are great value too.
Prices in the Canadian resorts of Whistler and Banff have also dropped significantly this year as the Canadian dollar has continued to fall against the pound.
However, the US dollar has got stronger and has pushed up prices in the US resorts of Winter Park, Vail and Breckenridge by up to 14%.
Brown added: "Bargain-hunters should also exercise caution when considering Swiss resorts as sterling has not strengthened enough to counteract the effect of rising local prices."
* Ski resorts to register double-digit percentage price falls were:
Kitzbuhel -15.2%
Whistler -13.9%
Les Deux Alpes -13.5%
Serre Chevalier -13.0%
Kranjska Gora -11.9%
Banff -11.7%
Ruka -11.6%
Livigno -11.0%
Courchevel -10.5%
La Thuile -10.3%
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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