Go with a tour operator
Tuesday January 19, 2010 - Email this article to a friend

It's a message we have stuck to this winter on PlanetSKI as the major tour operators have cut back on their number of holidays, they've negotiated hard with their suppliers and then offered discounts on top for holidays that haven't sold.

We have reported on it already this season.

A PlanetSKI reader, Adrian Lamb has sent us in some facts and figures about a group of friends of his that are joining him in Avoriaz next month. They booked just before Xmas. 

He has also included some other information from his trawls through the internet that we thought might be interesting to other readers.

We haven't checked the information, so it is just one person checking some prices, but it makes interesting reading.

"3 friends are coming out for the week commencing 20^th February to 27^th February with Thomson. This is French half term week.

They are paying £1,200 in total including flights in a self-catering apartment in the resort. Another operator, Pierre en Vacances, worked out at £400 each including flights and transfers and occupational supplements.

Basically they paid for a cheap, no nonsense apartment in decent French resort and prices do not seem to vary considerably between low season Jan & high season (non half term Feb).

So, if you want to got to France or Italy on a self-catering holiday for £400 all in then you can. In Switzerland it's around £500. Austria seems a bit cheaper at £200-£300.

Staying in hotels, the prices all look pretty normal week on week. Basically £1000 staying at Hotel Ambassador 4* in Zematt and £900 for a 4* in Saas Fee. It's £800 for a 4* in  Wengen.

In Austria there are cheap 3* deals from £300 in Kirchdorf (it was this price when I went to Kitzbuhel in 1990 in similar accommodation) and for a 2* in Mayrehofen.

Soll & Zell am See are around £600 for 4* accommodation.

France seems to offer a wider amount of different accommodation from £350 self-catering to £800 for 3* and 4* hotels.

What this does show is that France, Italy & Austria all demonstrate that you can get to the Alps reasonably cheaply, but Switzerland is more expensive.

In summary I think what has changed is that operators do not appear to be varying their prices as they once did, except for half term.

There are some pretty reasonable prices out there."

And his final piece of advice in the email he sent in to us at PlanetSKI;

"The problem is there is so much hype and pub talk about deals. Getting deals takes a lot of hard work on the net, a flexible approach as to when you can go and, most of all, a bit of luck."

Happy internet searching and if you want a short cut to the deals then take a look at these onPlanetSKI.

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