Where to Ski And Snowboard - Morzine slashes skiing prices

Morzine slashes skiing prices

17th October 2017, by Abi Butcher

A report by Post Office Travel Money and Crystal Ski Holidays shows Morzine slashed prices by 13%

Prices in European ski resorts have plunged in the past year — with Morzine costing 13% less during the 2016/17 season than the winter before, according to a report by the Post Office.

The report, produced by Post Office Travel Money in conjunction with Crystal Ski Holidays, compared the prices of ski equipment, lift passes, ski school, meals and drinks in 22 ski resorts in Europe and a further six in North America. The researchers found that prices are down in three-quarters of the 22 European resorts surveyed — with Kranjska Gora proving to be the cheapest ski report for the first time since The Post Office started to compile the report 11 years ago. A week of half-day ski lessons in the Slovenian resort last winter cost just £79.52 — less than half the price in nine other European ski resorts.

Bardonecchia in Italy came out second-cheapest, with the prices for all of the above compiled together coming out at £347.12 (£325.47 for Kranjska Gora). Bansko in Bulgaria came third — with the cheapest food and drinks in the whole survey (coffees at 97p, a glass of wine at £1.45 and lunch on the slopes costing an average of £9.65).

Read Where to Ski and Snowboard’s independent review of Kranjska Gora here

The popular French ski resort of Morzine was the fourth-cheapest surveyed — with the total cost of lessons, ski and boot hire, ski school, drinks and lunch adding up to £399.85. And while Morzine is the only French resort to appear in the top ten cheapest resorts France was overall the country with the biggest drop in costs across the board. In contrast, prices have risen across Austria, with the largest hike in Ellmau, up 4.5% in the Tyrolian resort from last year.

The Italian resort of Sestriere, sitting in fifth place just behind Morzine, was the best value of nine other world-class resorts surveyed for the report. Other “world-class” resorts in the survey, according to the Post Office Travel Money, include Cervinia, Selva Gardena, Val d’Isère, Courchevel, Kitzbühel, St Anton, Wengen and Zermatt. And although Swiss resorts were the most expensive in Europe, Crystal researchers found prices falls of around five and six per cent.

The researchers found that the price gap has increased between Canadian and US resorts, with US resorts more expensive than their Canadian counterparts. According to the report, Banff offers best value of six transatlantic ski resorts, followed by Whistler and Tremblant (£807, £954 and £967 respectively).

Andrew Brown of Post Office Travel Money said: “With increasing pressure on the pocket, resort costs will be a key factor in determining where to ski this year. Prices are down in most resorts but the best savings to be struck are where the improved exchange rate combines with falling local prices. This makes Kransjska Gora a great bet for a bargain ski break, but there’s a great choice of low-cost Italian resorts and price falls in France are greater than in other destinations.”

He added: “The clear message is do your homework before booking this year’s ski trip.”

To look at the whole report. Visit postoffice.co.uk/skireport2017