Ski Holiday Market sees rapid growth in Independent Sector
As the European Ski Season draws to a close, the Independent Sector of the Ski Industry is reflecting on a bumper season. The best snow for years, combined with an abundance of budget travel options and increasing willingness to accommodate the flexibility required by today’s skier, have triggered a big rise in self-arranged (DIY) winter sports holidays.
A key factor is the wealth of information (and deals) available online, through websites like j2ski.com - specifically geared for the needs of the Independent Skier.
A Season of Snow - and Flexible Holidaying
For many skiers, the 2006 season will be remembered for the deep snow. For a number that increases significantly year-on-year, the season will be remembered as one or two traditional ski holiday weeks interspersed with several long ski weekends or short breaks.
Through intelligent use of the Internet, snow conditions can be monitored, itineraries planned in detail to give the most snow time, and last-minute deals can be bagged with a minimum of fuss.
For those who need to plan ahead, constrained by school holidays and work commitments, the majority of operators (large and small) offer “early bird” deals to encourage up-front cashflow. Quick work with the Internet can usually turn up worthwhile bargains, whatever your requirements.
Finding Flexibility
The search for a flexible ski break to suit a specific travelller’s needs often starts, logically enough, with the use of a major Search Engine. A wealth of different sites, offering different parts of the puzzle, can easily be identified and researched at leisure.
But many skiers are now turning to a small number of specialist portal sites where they can find all the information in one place. The modern breed of portal websites aggregates deals from providers of holidays, short breaks, ski hire, etc. and offers them alongside the key information that winter sports enthusiasts seek. While researching their holiday, skiers and snowboarders look for the convenience of the ski resorts, suitability for their own (and their party’s) abilities and - of course - the current and forecast snow conditions.
One of the fastest growing websites serving the winter sports market is j2ski.com , who comment;
“We served over one million visitor sessions this season and gave our visitors snow reports and skiing facts for 700 ski resorts in twenty countries. We’ve been delighted to see repeat customers booking hotels, ski rental and hire cars from us - and three weeks later doing it all again as they grab another white weekend. The rapid increase in the number of skiers doing it for themselves is something we’ve predicted for a while, and we are ready to respond to their needs.”
Looking to the future
Flexible, last-minute, short but sweet ski breaks are here to stay and the ski holiday industry has to adapt to compete and offer their product alongside the smaller, specialist operators already stepping up to meet the demand. The role of the Internet, and the specialist portal sites like j2ski.com, in bringing the Independent Skier and the Ski Business together is essential and will be increasingly dominant.
From the skier’s point of view, the possibilities are almost overwhelming, with opportunities to snatch a quick break when the snow falls pretty much anywhere. The sense of satisfaction amongst the DIYers on the slopes is palpable - two days out of the office for four days skiing, often at relatively low prices, is guaranteed to leave a grin that will outlast the tan!
