Europeans filling peak ski season capacity

The UK ski market is expected to book much later this year but peak availability could still be scarce due to demand from other countries. The claim came from independent bed bank Holiday Brokers which estimates the UK ski market is running 30% down year on year. Sales director Brian Young said that while UK bookings were down sales from other euro-zone areas are much stronger, “which is going to cause a lack of availability for peak booking periods”. He added: “The UK has been much slower than usual to book new year and half term periods, whereas European skiers have been much quicker off the mark, meaning that capacity over peaks is already limited, so travel agents should start promoting offers now, as it really is a case of now or never.”

Easter holidays in 2010 for the French start two weeks later meaning that capacity during the first two weeks of April for the UK skiers is not so restricted, resulting in lower prices and plenty of availability, according to the company. Young added that ski is the same size as the cruise market “but nowhere near as discount led, so agents can make good margins, they just need to spend some time researching the product”.

Thanks to www.travelmole.com for this story.