In Light of the Recession Several Ski Businesses Are Cutting down Their Number of Luxury Catered Chalets
Because of the credit crunch skiing occupancies decreased last ski season.
Despite of strong early season reservations along with brilliant skiing conditions.
This drop in numbers follows six years of sequential growth within the snowboarding industry, and the numbers contracted from 1.2 million in 2008 to 900000 last ski season.
This is in part due to holiday makers giving the season a miss, whilst other skiers who’d typically have 2 snowboarding holidays, just had the one.
The independent travel sector fell by 15% and some no frills airlines reducing the amount of flights to some destinations.
However tour operators also saw their reservations reducing by 15%.
Nonetheless, the top 6 tour operators share of the market rested at a healthy 73% and France retained its position as the favorite ski destination with around 37% of skiing holidays.
Because of this many operators slashed the no. of luxury catered chalets they lease this year.
Luxury catered chalets especially will witness a fall in no.s as a catered ski chalet incurs more costs in terms of hosts and chefs and lease if it is unsold.
It remains unlikely that we will find the last minute deals that were available this season.
And prices for skiing holidays will go up, costs are unlikely to go up substantially.
The next winter undoubtedly poses grave challenges for an industry that is affected by the events of the recession, weakness of the pound against the euro, soaring costs of fuel and large fixed operating costs for ski companies.
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