In the air, there are new routes for skiers looking for alternatives this winter. Ryanair will be flying from London Stansted to Linz in Austria – the nation’s third-largest city, which sits between Salzburg and Vienna. Intrepid skiers might make the most of easyJet’s new winter service to Tromso in Norway, from London Gatwick, Manchester and Bristol.
2. New destinations in focus
British skiers will always flock to the familiar slopes in the Alps – but over recent years, with a focus on both value and snow quality, certain destinations have grown in popularity.
“Norway has made a big comeback,” said Sinclair. Crystal Ski Holidays has added further capacity to its Norway programme – launching new flights to cater for demand – including in February half term.
“Families are drawn to the great prices in peak school holiday dates, when it’s often cheaper than budget favourites Bulgaria and Andorra, yet more snow-sure,” said Sinclair.
Italy is another “standout” destination for early bookers. Simon McIntyre, the managing direction at Iglu Ski, reports an 18 per cent increase in bookings to the destination compared with last year. To cater for the demand Iglu has introduced almost 70,000 new bookable beds in the Trentino region of northern Italy.
“Italy is selling well, perhaps buoyed by the forthcoming [2026 Winter] Olympics in [Milan and] Cortina, and almost certainly by the good value for money in many Italian resorts,” echoed Gambrill.
British skiers are also setting their sights further afield – with long-haul ski trips to the snow-sure slopes of Japan, Canada and the United States a hot topic. Resorts in all three destinations are investing huge amounts in infrastructure, and appeal to international visitors – including, respectively, a new lift in Niseko, the 2025 Invictus Games in Whistler Blackcomb and further terrain expansion in resorts in Colorado.
If North America appeals, it pays particularly well to book early. In the US and Canada, prices on lift passes skyrocket as the season approaches and flights creep up in cost – autumn is often when operators offer enticing discounts for skiing across the pond.
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Publish date : 2024-09-23 09:40:00
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The post The best time of year to book a ski holiday – and how to find a deal first appeared on Love Europe.
Author : love-europe
Publish date : 2024-09-25 17:23:56
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