The surprise report shows that the price of a typical ski holiday for the 2008 ski season rose everywhere in both Europe and Noth America - except for Germany and the United States - with Canadian ski holidays rising in price fastest as a direct result of the strong Canadian dollar against the Euro and British sterling.
Pushing prices up for the 2008 skiing season were not just higher aviation fuel costs and government levied flight taxes, but lift passes, equipment hire and ski instructor lessons all rose faster than inflation.
Comparing different ski resorts striking differences emerge with ski lift passes costing 90 sterling in Bulgaria and Romania - but over 240 sterling in Banff, Canada - nearly treble the cost.
And private ski lessons also showed great price differentials. Some ski resorts in Romania were offering lessons for 11 sterling this year, in Switzerland 35, but in Banff it went up to 65 sterling, nearly six times the cost of their Romanian counterparts.
Once the skiing is over for the day the price differences were still as sharp for skiiers this year. While a cup of coffee in Italy is around one Euro, in Norway it is nearer to three, and for those who prefer alcohol a beer in Bulgaria is a pound, but astonishingly over five pounds in Norway - and the cost of a meal shows similar price differentials.
Commenting upon the report, an Andorra travel guide who include ski holidays information comments that 'The difference in prices between different resorts is surprising. We would expect some regional and local variance but not to the extent we saw for the 2008 ski season in Europe and North America.'
The lower priced ski countries could see an upswing in visitors in 2009 - much needed after a poor 2007 season in countries like Austria and Andorra, both of which recovered well this year but could do with a good second year in a row. Both countries are investing in their ski infrastructure and benefitting too from low cost airlines offering more flights to skiiers.
Several airlines recently announced a plan to encourage more trips to ski resorts by opening up additional routes for travel to European ski resorts.
These fly passengers directly to the airports that are closest to several of the major skiing destinations for many individuals and families on holiday. For example, the UK's biggest low cost airline flies passengers on holiday into Barcelona, which is the nearest airport to the Andorra skiing resorts.
In addition to the flights taking passengers to ski at Andorra, there are several more flights connecting skiiers to their favourite ski destinations. Flights from London, Glasgow, Bristol, Liverpool, Blackpool and Newscastle all connect UK ski holidaymakers to their favourite ski resorts.
The reason airlines have chosen to increase the number of direct routes they provide to ski resorts for the 2008 and 2009 winter holiday periods is due to the fact business is booming. As of the end of October last year for example, one airline had over 2.5 million bookings for individuals and families wanting their flying services to travel to skiing destinations in Europe during this winter, and 2009 could see even more people taking a ski holiday.
asic checklist - Favourite books, CDs or DVDs that are guaranteed to raise a smile - Slippers or slipper socks, as many people forget that most ski resorts have stone or wooden floors, so your feet will thank you for remembering cosy footwear - Any favourite teddy bears or blankets - Some favourite foods, snacks and treats for hungry tums - Travel games such as chess, cards, and snakes and ladders to play if you are stuck indoors for a while - Art materials to keep them quiet and creative on the move
Travelling with your baby - The way in which you feed your baby will determine what you need to remember for your holiday preparations. There's a good chance that the ski resort you are visiting won't be anywhere near a shop that stocks your baby's particular brand of formula, so if your baby is on formula milk, remember to pack enough to see them through to the end of the trip - including the journey home. Breast-feeding mums who may want to vary their feeding routine while on holiday should implement these variations before the trip so that your baby can become accustomed to it beforehand, or you may just want to express some milk for later use. When you arrive, you don't want to be short of nappies, and the area you're staying in may not have the particular size or fit of nappies that your baby wears, so try to pack as many as you need.
Creche facilities - If you are travelling with particularly young children, then you may want to find out about cr?ches and childcare facilities in and around the resort. When you're looking for a suitable childcare facility, take a look at prices, the age range of children that are catered for, and find out if you need to bring anything with you - perhaps you have to provide your child's food for the day for example. Taking a list with you detailing your children's daily routine - sleeping hours, eating habits etc, to pass on to any childminder or nursery nurse who will be looking after you little ones is always helpful.
Suitable clothing - All children need to be wrapped up warm on the slopes, even if they're not skiing. All-in-one ski outfits are a great idea for children, and adults too, as they are nice and warm and great at keeping out snow, muck and moisture. Remember that several thin layers work better at insulating the body's heat than one big thick layer - this makes packing a lot easier too.
Safety on the slopes - Besides ensuring that your children are nice and warm and waterproof, there are a few other things that you can do to keep them safe while skiing. Providing them with properly fitting alpine skiing helmets is also a must in case of accidents. Your children will be able to ski more safely if they are taught to ski properly. All resorts offer ski lessons to all levels of skier, children especially, so enrol them when you book your trip and they'll learn to ski confidently under the protective eye of trained professionals.
Insurance should be a serious consideration or your trip. Accidents can happen so you want to be prepared, and travel insurance will ensure that any medical treatment that you or your children may require will be paid for.
Both Roger Munns & Dereks Lakess are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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