DESTINATIONS BUDGET | SKI & SNOW
Ski on a shoestring
Rising costs for winter sports holidays causing clients concern? Alice Barnes-Brown explores a selection of money-saving spots
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travelweekly.co.uk
othing beats the feeling of crisp, powdery snow gliding beneath your skis – but clients
on a budget may find that saving on their ski break feels almost as good as sailing down a slope. With many popular resorts across the Alps seeing prices rise, dedicated skiers may wish to seek somewhere off-the-beaten-piste that suits their vibe and offers great value for money, whether they’re a couple looking for an active getaway or a family keen to boost their ski skills without breaking the bank. We asked four operators for their favourite budget-friendly snow destinations.
BEST FOR . . . FAMILY SKI Bulgaria is buzzing with great-value deals, thanks to a lower cost of living and operating costs. Chris Logan, managing director of Crystal Ski Holidays, says: “We’ve seen strong demand for budget-friendly destinations, including the resorts of Borovets and Bansko.” To complement Crystal’s ski packages, Tui has also added flights from Newcastle to the Bulgarian capital Sofia this winter. If clients need to brush up on their skills, the cost of tuition must be factored in – and Bulgaria excels in low-cost lessons. The Post Office Travel Money Ski Report estimates that a six-day lift pass, ski/boot hire, ski school, plus daily lunch and drinks on the slopes costs £563 per person in Borovets and £573 in Bansko,
against £1,346 in Zermatt and £1,142 in Val d’Isère. Book it: Crystal sells seven nights’ B&B at the Grand
Royale Hotel & Spa in Bansko from £836 per person, based on two adults and two children sharing. The price includes luggage, transfers and flights from Manchester to Sofia, departing December 27.
crystalski.co.uk
We’ve seen strong
demand for budget-friendly destinations, including Bansko and Borovets
BEST FOR . . . FRESH POWDER If clients are keen on snow-sure slopes with breathtaking views of the Matterhorn to boot, suggest Cervinia in Italy’s picturesque Aosta Valley. The town is more than 2,000m above sea level, with some of the slopes at elevations of nearly 4,000m, so clients can expect lots of snow and a chance to ski in the off-season months. It’s even possible to ski year-round on 15 miles of glacier at Plateau Rosà. Cervinia’s USP is that clients can be based in a more affordable Italian resort but still have access to 200 miles of ski routes stretching into Switzerland. Melvin Westlake, Inghams’ head of ski product,
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