The advantages of combining the activities of both skiing and shopping in North America is no big secret.
In 1998/99 nearly 51,500 UK skiers – 10% of the ski market – turned their back on European resorts and opted to travel that bit further for North America’s uncrowded pistes and powder snow, while countless shopaholics hopped on transatlantic flights to cities such as New York to fill their suitcases with Donna Karan and Calvin Klein goods at half the price.
Ski operators now recognise that the two products sell particularly well together and many are encouraging agents to recommend a stopover to clients en route to the slopes.
Ski Independence, for example, now includes panels with sample package stopovers throughout their brochure.
Ski Independence manager Nick Laver said: “Shop and ski is a big market. Over 70%-75% of our clients will do a stopover. It is very appealing from everyone’s point of view as the airline offers the facility free and clients just have to pay for accommodation in their chosen city.
“Although we are a ski specialist we want to take advantage of the other products on offer. Add-ons are very easy to do and cost more money, which means more commission for the travel agent.”
Laver said popular stopovers include the USgateway cities of New York and Boston, which can be combined with New England resorts such as Killington and Stowe. San Francisco can be twinned with Californian resorts such as Heavenly, Mammoth and Squaw, while those travelling via Vancouver can easily ski in Whistler, only a 2hr journey by road.
“The top-three stopovers are Vancouver, New York and San Francisco. Around 40% of our customers travelling to Whistler stop off in Vancouver. It is big business for us.”
Neilson marketing manager Adrian Howell said that the operator can arrange shop and ski in cities such as Denver, Boston and Vancouver.
He added: “There’s not a massive demand but it is worthwhile offering it as an option as many people want to do more than ski – the cost of living in the US means shopping can save people a lot of money.”
Ski the American Dream said it had seen a steady growth in the product and now devotes a full page in its brochure to Down Town city stopovers.
It features stays in New York, Washington, Boston, San Francisco, Montreal, Vancouver, Minneapolis and Toronto with prices from around £30 per person per night in Washington.