Italy is tipped as the best value for a skiing holiday beating other European favourites Austria, France and Switzerland. Visitors to Livigno in the Italian Alps will find the cost of ski passes, equipment hire, ski school, meals and drinks 10 per cent lower than last year, says The Post Office Travel Money Ski Report out this morning.
At £361.85 for ski holiday costs, Livigno (above) was fourth cheapest of 27 European and North American resorts and has the lowest ski school prices (£75.44 for five to six half-days) – under half the cost of 14 other resorts surveyed by holiday operator Crystal Ski.
Andorra’s Soldeu is over 18 per cent cheaper for families this year. But Italy scored well again for having the best resorts for families and beginners. Sestriere (£418.85) and Cervinia (£439.48) were the bargain choices, 42 and 39 per cent cheaper respectively than Zermatt (£725.73), Switzerland.
When prices for five Italian resorts surveyed were compared with the other “Big Four” ski destinations – Austria, France and Switzerland – Italy’s average (£429) was cheapest and nearly a third less than Switzerland.
Eastern European resorts are revealed as cheapest in the report. Skiers on a budget will find prices lowest in Bansko, Bulgaria (£264.52) followed by Kranjska Gora, Slovenia (£324.56).
Andrew Brown, head of Travel Money, said: “The stronger pound is having a positive impact on ski resort prices in Europe. They are down in most resorts but the best savings are where the improved exchange rate combines with falling local prices. Another way to save money is by resort-swapping within countries. For example, families can shave 28 per cent off their ski costs in Austria by choosing Ellmau over Kaprun and almost 20 per cent in Switzerland by visiting Nendaz rather than Wengen.”
To see the full report, visit www.postoffice.co.uk/skireport2012
