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 ?