Latest posts for the topic "Fewer holidays available this coming season?"

Fewer holidays available this coming season?

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 17:15:57 GMT

Interesting conversation with a tour agent just now as I booked my holiday (Serre Chevalier next March) ....
Now, I know I am extraordinarily picky about my skiing holidays both in accomodation and travel arrangements, I want exactly what I want!
:roll:
Having a chat whilst processing and I was told that bookings have been coming in fast and furious for the last week or two after a very quiet "start".
One thing led to another and we were talking about tour operator availability. This is where the less available came up and it makes sense in the present financial climate.
Seems like there are less "confirmed" room allocations in hotels from major operators - so if last year they took 10 rooms for the season, this year it is 5 or 6.
And flight availability seems down, particularly for regional airports.
Wondering what other peoples views and experience has been?
I'm sure that there will be "offers" and late booking deals and I am talking about mainly hotels and self-catering availability rather than chalets and British run hotels .....
Interesting ...
:?:

Re:Fewer holidays available this coming season?

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 17:59:49 GMT

As well as the financial climate, I suspect the tour operators are also being hit by an increasing number of people going DIY. Not sure this will translate into great deals on accommodation. In my experience, most of the hotels in Europe are pretty inflexible on price, at least when dealing with the general public :evil:

Re:Fewer holidays available this coming season?

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 18:06:38 GMT

I suppose that if there are less "confirmed" rooms with the TO's it will mean that there may be more "free" rooms if you approach the hotels direct. Whilst I (sort of)agree with the statement that hoteliers are inflexible with their prices they sometimes need reminding that an empty room is a room that is not earning money!! 8)

Fewer holidays available this coming season?

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 21:37:42 GMT

OldAndy wrote:Interesting conversation with a tour agent just now as I booked my holiday (Serre Chevalier next March) ....

Good on you Andy, great place to ski :thumbup:

Re:Fewer holidays available this coming season?

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 21:41:21 GMT

Interesting topic, Andy. It is evident that there will be some unfortunate folk who will be directly affected by a loss of work, a reduction in pay, or for some of those in work, who do not feel confident about the future. So, there will be fewer people skiing this year, and people who previously went twice, may only take the one week.

This is not just a UK issue, it affects the whole of Europe.

The hotel capacity remains, and there will be hotels that will offer flexibility. I know my hotel friends will be moving early on their offers this year. Few Brits are brave or experienced enough to make an offer to a hotel, but it is worth the try. Hotel owners know that once there you will spend on food and drink.

Airline capacity has been somewhat reduced, but there are always alternative flights if you are prepared to go DIY. Even with the reduced flight capacity, the TO's will catch the hotel offers.

A big inflexible issue is lift pass cost. Interestingly, Switzerland has recognised this, and two for one offers have appeared, seemingly on a larger scale than before.

The above factors may alleviate the position for some people, but not for all.

I think you are right Andy, I suspect there will be fewer people going skiing this year, or, doing less skiing, Europe-wide. I wonder if it is likely to hit families more.

Re:Fewer holidays available this coming season?

Sat, 1 Oct 2011 08:18:45 GMT

The Swiss tourism industry has been acutely aware of the problems caused by the strength of the Franc this year. CHF is now pegged to the Euro at AFAIR 1.20. GBP has gained ground against CHF in the last few weeks....some way to go though!

I recently read a newsletter from Crans Montana on FB that spoke of reinventing itself and was asking for ideas to be put forward.

I know of 2 resorts that are not putting up their lift ticket prices this coming winter. My season ticket cost has not risen in CHF :D

Re:Fewer holidays available this coming season?

Sat, 1 Oct 2011 10:58:11 GMT

I think there are a number of issues here, yes the state of the economy has had a huge effect on the ski holiday industry. However I think some have used it as an excuse while a few have seized the opportunity to examine their offering and move forward.
Some operators have been really lazy and simply cut numbers and given their customers less choice. The company I use for all of our group trips have not sat back, they have looked at every aspect of what they do and worked really hard to improve customer service. Not that it was bad before, but in the last 2 or 3 years the food, professionalism of the staff and customer service has gone from very good to great.
It must be working as they are increasing the number of properties available not decreasing like most of their competition. Make sure Ski World are on your list when looking for your next holiday.

Re:Fewer holidays available this coming season?

Sat, 1 Oct 2011 17:53:41 GMT

We were all set to book a great place in Paradiski, but are now being possibly over cautious and will be booking last minute - not ideal but as long as we are both still in work then we will just get a last minute holiday - assuming of course they are available.

It will be interesting to see what's about late Feb, last year we ended up in N, it was a bargain booking two weeks before we went, but I got to ski and I know it's not everyones cup of tea but I'd rather go there than not at all. So DM, we might see you there again next year :)

Re:Fewer holidays available this coming season?

Sat, 1 Oct 2011 18:10:48 GMT

Then the TO morons will suffer as there will be plenty DIY available accommodation, at possibly a very cheap price.

Re:Fewer holidays available this coming season?

Sun, 2 Oct 2011 13:36:51 GMT

bandit wrote:The Swiss tourism industry has been acutely aware of the problems caused by the strength of the Franc this year. CHF is now pegged to the Euro at AFAIR 1.20. GBP has gained ground against CHF in the last few weeks....some way to go though!

I recently read a newsletter from Crans Montana on FB that spoke of reinventing itself and was asking for ideas to be put forward.

I know of 2 resorts that are not putting up their lift ticket prices this coming winter. My season ticket cost has not risen in CHF :D

...which is all good to hear for us, Swissophiles, but have just read the cost of the Swiss Transfer rail ticket and other passes is is going up because of the exchange rate. I fear Swisserland is just going to be out of financial reach for many, many skiers this season.

However, we hear these dire forecasts of limited availability every season. Sometimes, I think it's a tour op/tourist office/industry effort to get us to book early - and help with their cashflows.

As in previous years, if you want a ski holiday, you'll get a ski holiday sometime, somewhere!

Re:Fewer holidays available this coming season?

Sun, 2 Oct 2011 16:37:25 GMT

Scaremongering?

Re:Fewer holidays available this coming season?

Sun, 2 Oct 2011 17:19:47 GMT

Ian Wickham wrote:Then the TO morons will suffer as there will be plenty DIY available accommodation, at possibly a very cheap price.

It's not a given, as Hoteliers will likely close up if they have few bookings. It will be cheaper than paying the staff, heating the building etc.

It will be interesting to see what effect (if any) this has on self catering rental prices.

Re:Fewer holidays available this coming season?

Sun, 2 Oct 2011 17:20:09 GMT

NellyPS wrote:Scaremongering?

The gist of my conversation definately wasn't scaremongering. I was chatting to someone I have booked 3 or 4 hols with over the last few years while their computer was doing stuff.
She had noticed that it was getting harder to give the exact holiday that a client wanted with the right flight, and the right hotel or apartment already. A situation she would expect nearer Xmas not end September.
This was it.
I found it of interest, thats all, and decided to share it on here.

Re:Fewer holidays available this coming season?

Sun, 2 Oct 2011 17:32:47 GMT

Another thought, given your description OldAndy, is that due to the TO's offering many special deals on early bookings (2 for 1 lift passes etc.) perhaps it is a case of many holidays have already been taken.

Re:Fewer holidays available this coming season?

Sun, 2 Oct 2011 17:48:47 GMT

Only time will tell on all this but it is in the interest of all skiers that the industry thrives.
Bandit is correct, hoteliers etc etc can be pragmatic and close for periods during a season. I've never seen this personally in ski "resorts" but years ago in Bourg St. Maurice some hotels only opened Xmas/new year, half term and Easter (they were busier in summer).
Whether booking through a tour operator, travel agent or DIY we need enough fellow skiers for everything from flights to transfers to accomodation to be available.
Similarly in resort - enough lift passes for the companies to manage the slopes and invest in updating on slope kit and facilities.
Anyway - all I need is good snow and I'm sorted :mrgreen:
Although I have to go and see Taming of the Shrew as penance for going skiing, and I can cope with that. :roll:

Re:Fewer holidays available this coming season?

Mon, 3 Oct 2011 06:36:38 GMT

bandit wrote:

Ian Wickham wrote:Then the TO morons will suffer as there will be plenty DIY available accommodation, at possibly a very cheap price.

It's not a given, as Hoteliers will likely close up if they have few bookings. It will be cheaper than paying the staff, heating the building etc.

It will be interesting to see what effect (if any) this has on self catering rental prices.

Then they deserve to bust

Re:Fewer holidays available this coming season?

Mon, 3 Oct 2011 12:32:31 GMT

Ian Wickham wrote:

bandit wrote:

Ian Wickham wrote:Then the TO morons will suffer as there will be plenty DIY available accommodation, at possibly a very cheap price.

It's not a given, as Hoteliers will likely close up if they have few bookings. It will be cheaper than paying the staff, heating the building etc.

It will be interesting to see what effect (if any) this has on self catering rental prices.

Then they deserve to bust

The Hoteliers that are proactive will be the ones that survive I reckon.

Re:Fewer holidays available this coming season?

Mon, 3 Oct 2011 20:48:09 GMT

OldAndy wrote:

NellyPS wrote:Scaremongering?

The gist of my conversation definately wasn't scaremongering. I was chatting to someone I have booked 3 or 4 hols with over the last few years while their computer was doing stuff.
She had noticed that it was getting harder to give the exact holiday that a client wanted with the right flight, and the right hotel or apartment already. A situation she would expect nearer Xmas not end September.
This was it.
I found it of interest, thats all, and decided to share it on here.

I didn't mean you, it was a general comment following what Lota said about the TOs getting us to book early.

Anyway, at the end of the day, the accommodation will still be there no matter what, so its not like we'll not get a holiday.

Re:Fewer holidays available this coming season?

Mon, 3 Oct 2011 22:41:03 GMT

Apart from the 4/5 star market segment, the European skiing holiday market has been in decline for a number of years. So it is plausible that the TOs have fewer holidays on offer. Here is an overview of the situation in Austria: http://www.statistik.at/web_de/statistiken/tourismus/beherbergung/ankuenfte_naechtigungen/020992.html If you would like more detailed information, such as: 70,002 people visited Wildschonau last season (2.2% less than in 2009/2010), and 33,594 of those were from the UK, then you can find detailed reports under 'Tourismus' here: http://www.tirol.gv.at/themen/zahlen-und-fakten/statistik/publikationen

The Hotelplan Group (Inghams parent) annual reports will give you some idea of how the market in the UK has faired in the last few years http://www.hotelplan.com/en/about-us/annual-reports.aspx

Re:Fewer holidays available this coming season?

Mon, 3 Oct 2011 23:52:20 GMT

Ah, Swingbeep, I fear you need to get out more! If this is your hobby, well gordluvus!
The statistics do make for good reading, though. They emphasise the importance of Tirol in Austria. Remeberthe statistics are generated from the accomodation providor filling in the visitor form. And I do have first hand knowledge of custom and practise........