Where to Ski And Snowboard - Ski holiday bookings up 15% on last year

Ski holiday bookings up 15% on last year

6th September 2013, by Abi Butcher

Skiers and snowboarders are keen to book their 2013/2014 trips

Ski and snowboard holiday bookings are up 10 per cent on last year, according to some of the UK’s major winter tour operators.

Crystal, Thomson, Esprit Ski, Ski Total, Peak Retreats and Ski Collection all report being up to and over 10 per cent ahead on bookings compared to this time last year.

“We have noticed bookings are looking very encouraging with New Year and half-term considerably ahead of last year,” said Nicole Eves from French Alps specialists Peak Retreats and Ski Collection. “We will soon be full, so people need to book to avoid disappointment!”

Miss Eves said Christmas and New Year was so popular for skiing last year that the companies are getting a lot of repeat business. And the week of 16 February, one of the UK’s half term weeks, is also the first week of French school holidays — so it expected to reach capacity a lot earlier.

While Peak Retreats and Ski Collection cannot give figures, Miss Eves says they are up “at least” 10 to 15 per cent on last year’s bookings.

The same pattern is true for family specialist Esprit Ski and Ski Total, from which spokesman Moira Clarke said: “The season is looking good so far. The current booking pattern proves that the skiing public have winter sports firmly on their minds, regardless of the sunshine outside.”

Crystal and Thomson are up nearly 10 per cent on most countries — while Austria is streaming ahead at 15 per cent up on last year, according to spokesman Marion Telsnig: “It’s all great news”.

The news is the latest indicator of yet more growth in the UK ski market. In July, the annual Crystal Ski Report announced that the UK ski and snowboard had started to bounce back — with growth in the market for the first time in four years.

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