Why should we book our ski trip now?
Wednesday July 1, 2009 - Email this article to a friend

“If you don’t book now then you will not be able to get the holiday of your choice”............ “This is the end of the British chalet holiday.”.......... “The way we book our skiing and snowboarding holiday is changing forever.”.......... “If you don’t book now then you may not be able to ski next winter.”

These are some of the more alarmist predictions and advice doing the rounds at the moment

The reasoning is simple; many tour operators were badly burnt last winter and left with large numbers of unsold beds so they are cutting back on stock and next winter will be offering substantially less.  So unless you book now then little will be available.

The British market fell by around 15% in Austria, the same figure in Switzeland and much of the evidence we heard out in the Alps throughout the winter predicted this.

It seems to us at PlanetSKI there is currently a concerted campaign to get us to decide where and when we want to ski next winter and part with our hard earned cash now.

Well in advance of how the economic situation may be and before we know what the snow conditions could be like.

In the last few years skiers and snowboarders have been booking later and later.  In part because they want to get a better deal but also because people live life a bit more last minute.

According to the company, Erna Low, late season bookings went up 20% last winter.

Now the poor economic outlook has added to that situation as people don’t know if they will have a job and what their finances may be.It's hard enough looking at next month, yet alone next year.

It is extremely difficult for holiday companies and there were many sleepless nights last winter as tour operators simply didn’t know if people would book and they had to discount heavily. 

So now they are trying to get us to book early and some of the discounts are very good with 20% - 25% off.

Thompson holidays is offering a week at Chalet Glacier, Tignes, France with a saving of up to £194 per couple. Meanwhile Crystal is offering a saving of £240 per couple for a week in the Sport Village in Soldeu, Andorra. The offer is onpen ntil the 20th July.

Not to be outdone Ski Solutions claims prices will be up to 25% cheaper in some hotels but you have to book now to take advantage of the discounts.

We have put a series up in our deals and discounts section so do take a look if you want a bargain because, don’t get us wrong, there are some great deals out there.

However, if you don’t want to make your skiing plans so far ahead then out advice here at PlanetSKI is don’t.

The travel companies say the busy weeks of Half Term and New Year are already filling up and if you want the chalet of your choice in the resort of your choice then book now.

Well those weeks always get booked up quickly and that's always been their advice.

“What will probably happen is that there will be a lot of early booking discounts, they will then vanish in the Autumn as the tour operators take bookings from the people that book at that time of year come what may and then when the regulars have booked the discounts and offers will come back,” one market analyst has told us.

If you know where and when you want to go and like having things planed in advance then out advice at PlanetSKI is book now to take advantage of the great offers, but don’t do it out of fear that you may not be able to ski next winter.

There’s quite a bit of spinning going on the ski travel industry at the moment.

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