Italy and Austria are closing the ski prices gap with Eastern Europe, according to the Post Office Travel Money Ski Resort Report.
The report, launched with Crystal Ski Holidays ahead of the start of the ski season this weekend, compared prices for ski equipment, lift passes, ski school, meals and drinks in 30 ski resorts – 22 in Europe and eight in North America. It found that Bansko (Bulgaria) and Kranjska Gora (Slovenia) are again cheapest, with barometer totals of around £274 and £326 respectively.
However, the Eastern European destinations may have a fight on their hands – especially Kranjska Gora where prices have risen almost seven per cent since last season. As a result low-priced Livigno (£351) in the Italian Alps has gained ground, overtaking Austria’s Ellmau (£368) to take third place and now just £25 behind the Slovenian resort.
Italy and Austria have notched up a total of seven ski resorts in the Ski Resort Report barometer top 12. Sestriere (6), Cervinia (9) and Selva (11) join Livigno in the 12 best value resorts, while Austria’s Mayrhofen (10) and Schladming (12) resort join Ellmau (4).
However, the picture is patchy for skiers planning trips this season. Prices have plunged 13 per cent in Zermatt to around £593 and over three per cent in Morzine (£402), which has helped the popular French resort move five places up the barometer table to fifth position. At the same time rising resort prices and a UK pound almost five per cent weaker against the euro year-on-year mean skiers may have to dig deeper in their pockets.
In addition to rating 22 resorts in Europe, Post Office Travel Money and Crystal Ski Holidays have expanded the cost comparison to cover eight resorts in North America. The good news for those considering a transatlantic ski holiday is that prices are down by around 20 per cent in both Tremblant (Canada) and Winter Park (USA).
Tremblant (£619), located in Quebec’s Laurentian Mountains, has benefited from an increase of almost six per cent in the value of sterling combined with falling resort prices. However, Winter Park is cheapest of all. At just under £528 for the barometer items, the Colorado resort is almost 15 per cent cheaper than Tremblant and nearly 36 per cent less expensive than Breckenridge (£821), highest-priced of the eight North American ski resorts.
A full list of the best value resorts can be found by visiting postoffice.co.uk/skireport2013.
If you’re looking to book a ski holiday this winter, check out the Your-Hols.com guide How to book a ski holiday
