Preliminary findings from a now annual survey sponsored by Post Office® Travel Money has found that costs for skiers in resorts across Europe should be lower this winter thanks to the increasing value of Sterling compared to winter 2012-13.
In terms of the lowest-prices, the Post Office's annual Ski Resort Report – produced in conjunction with Crystal Ski – is Bansko in Bulgaria, where skiers will find their pounds stretch even further this winter as Sterling buys 7.5 per cent more Bulgarian lev than last season.
Skiers staying closer to home and travelling to the Eurozone will get 6.6 per cent more for their money.
The pound has also recovered some of the lost ground against the Swiss Franc too, back up 4.6 per cent better off after the pound had previously plunged 9.1 percent.
The full report featuring resort research from 27 ski resorts across Europe and North America, comparing the prices of ski passes, equipment hire and ski school, plus drinks and lunch on the slopes will be published at the end of November but preliminary findings (based on eight resorts) include:
• Kranjska Gora (Slovenia) offers best value in the eurozone, followed by Ellmau (Austria) and Livigno (Italy)
• Bansko offers the cheapest ski pass and equipment hire – 25 per cent less than runner-up Kranjska Gora, another Eastern European destination.
• Livigno offers the lowest-priced ski school (£75.44) – 49 per cent cheaper than Nendaz
• A two-course lunch on the slopes will hit skiers harder in Ruka (Finland) and Ellmau – £17.54 and £16.05 respectively – more than double the cost in Bansko (£6.91)
• Beer (25cl) is cheapest in Bansko (£1.15) – 71 per cent cheaper than Ruka (£3.95)
• In Livigno (Italy), the benefit of the strong pound is compounded by a three per cent drop in resort costs, bringing prices in nine per cent lower than last year, once the exchange rate has been applied.