Erna Low market comment: Jane Bolton, MD Of Erna Low Ski Holidays, thoughts on the state of the ski market in summer 2008: With terms like ?credit crunch? and ?higher cost of living? making the headlines these days, ski holidays might begin to look like a luxury... But there is a way to still get your fix of snow this winter without hurting your bank balance? Having researched the cost of typical catered chalet holidays against the price of our self drive, self catered packages, we can offer considerable savings on the cost of a ski holiday meaning that you do not need to forgo your week in the snow this coming winter. For example, for a family of 4 persons, w/c 14th February, a catered chalet (with flights and transfers) in Arc 1800 would set you back over ?3000. Book exactly the same accommodation on a self catered basis with a return Eurotunnel crossing with Free FlexiPlus upgrade, factor in food*, tolls and petrol and you could save over ?885! Other comparisons of similar accommodation showed the savings could be even more ? over ?2000 in some instances and we still have availability for this most demanded of dates. Self catered apartments are of a much higher standard these days - with brand new luxury developments such as the 4* resort of Arc 1950, new top class residences and high quality renovations by companies such as Pierre et Vacances, you can find everything from a cosy studio apartment to a luxury 10+ person chalet-style apartment with free access to swimming pools, saunas and hot tubs. And maybe this is the winter to take a drive down to the Alps to save on the flight costs? With an average journey time of 10/12 hours, the Alps are not as far away as they may seem ? allow for check in times, waiting for your luggage, getting to and from airports at either end and flying doesn't necessarily get you there any quicker... With our FREE upgrade to the Eurotunnel FlexiPlus ticket, you have the flexibility and comfort of travelling in your own car and taking the journey at your own pace. Studies have also proven that this is one of the lowest impactive methods of travel in terms of carbon footprint Erna Low is currently 30% up on early bookings compared to this time last year ? evidence that there is definitely a switch from expensive catered chalet holidays, to economical and flexible self catering breaks for this forthcoming winter ?
While many people skipped their usual travel plans this summer in hopes of cutting expenses and absorbing the costs of high gas prices, some industry experts claim that actual expenditures did not change much since the same time last year. Travelocity, a leader in the online travel industry recently announced its statistical analysis about the trends for summer vacation in 2008. When comparing the actual costs of travel - airfare and hotel data - for customers in July 2008 to those who traveled in July 2007, the company calculated an overall difference of just $50 more on average for hotel and flight packages.
Despite the rising costs in air travel in 2008, some people are still continuing onward with their travels and booking vacations across the country. While some travelers may cut back on expenses by finding lower-cost hotel rooms and deciding to cook their own food while on vacation, the actual booking process has changed very little over the course of the year.
Travelocity announced that fourteen cities out of its reports cost about the same than last year's tallies, and these cities were far less than a $50 price difference. Top cities including Los Angeles, Orlando, Boston, and Atlanta cost between $13 to $35 more than last year, while cities such as Chicago actually cost nearly $40 less. Average daily rates in some metropolitan cities did encounter a significant price increase, but this may have been linked to a steady demand for more hotel rooms and an increase in pricing because of competition.
Many web-savvy consumers still managed to offset some of the usual costs associated with traveling this year by booking last minute packages, taking advantage of promotions and special offers, and even using up airline miles so that the final cost of the airline ticket was far lower than average. Hotels and resorts across the country have also created incentive programs and discounts on multi-day bookings to stimulate consumer spending in this area.
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Marion Lemming has sinced written about articles on various topics from Ski. Jane Bolton is the Managing Director of Erna Low. Erna Low were founded way back in 1932 and have progressed since then to become one of the leading ski Tour Operators. For more information please visit www.ernalow.co.uk and www.ernalowproperty.co.uk.. Marion Lemming's top article generates over 880 views. to your Favourites.
Bill Morgan has sinced written about articles on various topics from Travel and Leisure, The Internet and Humour. Bill Morgan also writes for Low Fares. Find to your top travel destinations using Low Fares.. Bill Morgan's top article generates over 1220000 views. to your Favourites.