07.27.09
Partly Due to the Depression Numerous Skiing Operators Are Slashing Their Amount of Luxury Catered Chalets
Thanks to the recession skiing bookings decreased this winter.
Despite of excellent pre season sales along with excellent skiing conditions.
These falls in snowboarders follows on from 5 winters of sequential growth within the ski industry, and the number of snowboarders reduced from 1.1 million two winters ago to less than a million last winter.
This is partly due to holiday makers giving their annual snowboarding holiday a miss, and additional snowboarders who’d normally take two or more ski breaks, just had one.
A fall of 15% was felt by the independent travel sector with a few low cost airlines slashing the amount of flights to some destinations.
Tour operators also saw their numbers reducing by about the same amount.
Nevertheless, the top 6 tour operators share of the market stayed at 70% and the French Alps continued to remain the most popular holiday destination with nearly 40% of the skiing market.
This meant that many operators lowered the total number of ski chalets they rent this year.
The luxury chalet market will surely see a reduction in skiers because a catered chalet costs more in terms of staff and rental if it is not sold.
Therefore it is unlikely we shall find the last minute special offers that were up for grabs last winter.
Prices are in all likelihood to increase, costs are unlikely to increase much.
The 2009/10 winter undoubtedly poses grievous problems for an industry which is affected by the effects of the credit crunch, weakness of the pound, increased fuel costs on top of large fixed costs for ski holiday companies.
This winter holidaymakers will become more price aware, this shall add to a reversion of the trends of the last years that witnessed a increase in the skiing industry.
