Snowboarders
Ski operators agree that snowboarding is here to stay, with around 10%-15% of customers taking up the sport, most of whom are at the younger end of the market.
Good snowboard resorts are those with snow parks, extensive off-piste areas and not too many drag lifts.
Ski Independence managing director John Bennett agrees.
“Most resorts now have snowboard parks but boarders tend to like the deeper crisper snow of North America.”
But the downside of the US is that the off-piste skiing is generally more patrolled than in Europe.
“Beginners should take lessons – in Canada, Whistler is ideal, with lots of off-piste potential and a huge amount of snow,” Bennett added.
In Europe, Panorama now offers Learn to Snowboard packs in all resorts.
These packs – from £155 – include lift pass, lessons and equipment hire.
Thomson features Snowboard Academies for 10-16-year-old beginners in Arinsal, Andorra, while in Mayrhofen, Austria, it offers beginner and freestyle courses with expert tuition and guiding.
First Choice Ski offers a snowboard guiding service called Board Outriders which shows customers the best routes, where to find the trick parks and half pipes, plus the best watering holes.
Families
First Choice Ski reports that the families market has been growing at a healthy rate for the past few years and now represents approximately 27% of all packages sold by the operator.
Marketing and planning director Adrian Harwood said:”The increasing number of children aged from six to 10, the best ages to start skiing, is the driving factor behind this growth we are seeing.”
The introduction of special child prices, including free places, has helped to develop the growth of the market with most operators jumping on the bandwagon.
Ski-creches are another important factor that play a part in this development.
Simply Ski offers the Snowdrop Creches, which cater for children up to four years, for £140 per child for six days, and Snowflake Creches for children aged four-10 years, comes in at £100 per child.
Crystal is a good family choice. Its Family Club Hotels and chalets offer fully equipped accommodation for kids and infants – right down to the paraphenalia of bottle sterilisers and potties.
Crystal’s Whizz Kids and Pepi Penguin Clubs have also shown themselves to be popular with parents, available in some resorts from £85-£139 for five days.
Mark Warner is targeting the first-time children’s market with its Snowman Class which is available in La Plagne for £75 per child. These half-day lessons are for three to four-year-olds.
Club Med is another leader in this market offering all-inclusive packages.
Alternatively, specialist Ski Esprit is renowned for its outstanding in-chalet nurseries staffed by qualified British nannies.
Ski Esprit also has a new afternoon ski-adventure programme for youngsters aged eight to 12 years.
Prices start from £430 for adults and from £99 for children for one week.
Group holidays
Group bookings mean big bucks for agents and value for money for clients prepared to shop around.
Most operators offer a range of incentives for group bookings:this season Thomson offers free Bolle goggles for everybody in groups of eight or more people.
For 2000/2001, the operator is giving away a free early-season short break to either Val d’Isere or St Anton, Austria departing December 9 for the group leader booking parties of more than 10. Places for friends on the short break are available for £199 each.
Crystal Holidays offers group discounts for seven passengers travelling together:onefree place for those travelling by air or skitrain; and up to six free places for a group of 30 skiers.
Neilson and Airtours offer one in five free, Inghams one in eight while the new Panorama Ski and Snowboard Preview brochure 2000/2001 offers one free place for a group of six plus free lift passes for group bookings.
First Choice offers one free ticket for every four paying customers but only at certain times. The complexity of booking ski groups is alleviated by the special Groups department within the First Choice Ski call centre.
Luxury
Inghams claims to be the only operator offering a dedicated luxury brochure featuring only five-star properties.
Sales manager Laurence Hicks said that, unlike the lower end of the market which suffered over the Christmas period, luxury break sales have been stable.
The operator has prices from £549 for one week in Andorra to £1,877 in Aspen.
For luxury, Thomson singles out the Chalet Dee inBreckenridge, equipped with fireplace, pool table and hot tub, with prices from £675 for one week.
Club Med offers three luxury ski chalets in Meribel in France.
Erna Low reports rising demand for self-drive, staying in either luxury self-catering apartments or chalets with prices from £713 for one week.
Erna Low managing director Joanna Yellowlees-Bound said:”Luxury accommodation which offers beautiful apartments in prime locations in Europe are particularly in demand.”
For those who literally want a taste of luxury, The SkiCompany offers gourmet skiing holidays at several of itsluxurious European chalets and ski lodges which areequipped with hot tub or sauna cost from £849 per person for one week.
Party animals
Soaking up the apres-ski in a lively resort before spending the following day on the piste is not for the faint-hearted.
Airtours, Thomson and First Choice have seen the demand from youngsters with stamina and offer lively resorts such as Andorra under brands Escapades, Club Freestyle and Snow Xcuses.
Andorra is a favourite, not least due to its tax-free prices. One week in Pas de la Casa with Airtours’ Escapades leads in at £199 per person including flights and self-catering accommodation.
Thomson’s Club Freestyle also features Pas de la Casa plus Sauze d’Oulx in Italy which has a seven-night lead-in of £325.
First Choice Ski’s Snow Xcuses uses lively resorts such as Livigno in Italy and Val d’Isere in France. It is a pre-bookable package of apres ski events and costs from £49 for one week, booked as an add-on to a First Choice package.
The Snow train from Calais is offered by most operators and is a good option for young groups. This overnight rail service has a bar and disco carriage. The train affords eight days’ skiing compared with the usual six.
Those after a more upmarket experience should look across the pond. Neilson Ski recommends Breckenridge, Colorado, as does United Vacations which also advocates Keystone and Vail for frantic nightlife from £585 per person for one week including scheduled flights and car rental.