Two former TUI Travel employees have launched a ski tour operation for winter 2009/10 with a focus on lesser known ski resorts.
Former Crystal Ski managing director Stuart McLeod, and former manager of Crystal’s Active division Katie Waddington, have set up Zenith Holidays.
The web-based operator offers chalets, hotels and apartments in ski resorts in France and Austria, and summer holidays in France, Austria, Jersey and the Czech Republic.
The operator is initially direct-sell but McLeod said he would be interested in working with specialist travel agencies in the future. “We are looking at the option of providing an agent login. We do not produce brochures, but I envisage that in future, the trade will be less about brochures and more about online.”
McLeod said Zenith Holidays will be the only UK operator to feature the resorts of Pitztal and Leogang in Austria and Isola 2000, Val d’Allos and St Jean de Montclar in the French Alps.
“There is more to skiing that the well worn Three Valleys,” he said. “We’ll be adding resorts in at least two more countries over the coming months.”
Zenith Holidays will be able to offer the competitive pricing consumers are looking for during the recession.
He said: “Regular skiers don’t want to miss out on their holiday, but they are looking for exceptionally good value. We can pass on our cost savings and consumers will appreciate that.”