Ski enthusiasts now have a full range of European resorts for a winter sports holiday - and research shows that prices are down in many of the destinations.
The 15th annual Post Office Travel Money Ski Resort Report, produced in partnership with ski holiday operator Crystal Ski Holidays, has revealed prices for ski school, equipment, lift passes, meals and drinks have fallen in two-thirds of the resorts surveyed .
Cost-conscious skiers will again find Bulgaria and Italy are cheapest, but will have to dig deeper to pay for Switzerland.
Families planning trips during the school half-term in February or in the Easter Holidays will find that prices have dropped year-on-year in 19 of 28 ski resorts rated most suitable for skiers with children , although they vary by hundreds of pounds across Europe.
Bansko in Bulgaria offered the lowest prices for bargain-hunters with prices totalling £1,358 for the ski barometer basket for two adults and two children. Prices have fallen by 12 per cent in Bansko, making it the best value resort for the fourth year running.
Bardonecchia in the Italian Alps has again emerged as cheapest in the eurozone for families with prices falling back to £1,592 – more than 20 per cent lower than a year ago when the resort registered a big increase in ski costs.
Among seven countries surveyed, Italy is once again offering bargain hunters the widest range of well-priced ski resorts. In addition to Bardonecchia, four more resorts feature in the best value top 10.
However, none of the nine French ski resorts surveyed made the top 10, with big price rises for Tigne (£2,868) of 8.1 per cent and Alpe d’Huez (£2,481), where prices are up by 11.1 per cent.
High prices in Saas Fee (£3,120) and Grindelwald (£3,119) have again made Switzerland the most expensive destination for families.
Nick Boden, head of Post Office Travel Money, said: “This year’s comparison of prices in all the leading European ski destinations shows that the cost of lift passes, equipment hire, tuition and living costs continues to vary by hundreds of pounds.
"This makes it vitally important for skiers looking for a bargain break to do their homework before booking a ski holiday. Bulgaria and Italy are again looking great value but both Andorra and Finland are good alternatives to more expensive resorts in France, Austria and Switzerland.”
TUI -owned Crystal Ski Holidays has seen demand return to pre-pandemic levels with families keen to get back to the slopes.
Chris Logan, managing director of Crystal Ski Holidays, added: “Skiers and snowboarders have embraced the opportunity to take to the snow once again and families can look forward to taking their half-term or Easter ski holiday with confidence."
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