Ski specialists are reporting no signs of an impact of the cost-of-living crisis as they gear up for a first season undisrupted by Covid since before the pandemic.
Speaking last week in London at a trade launch for popular French resort Val d’Isere, tourist chiefs, agents and operators spoke of their high hopes for the coming winter sports season.
Christophe Lavaut, managing director of Val d’Isere Tourisme said some hotels are reporting already being at 90% occupancy for the entire season.
“It’s still quite early to tell, but so far, so good,” he said. “We are seeing a lot of signs that customers and tour operators have a lot of trust in this season.
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“They are already booking hotels and we are seeing better signs than this time last year because last September everyone was waiting to see what would happen.”
Lavaut said he was not concerned about the possibility if rising prices because many of the resort hotel and facilities operators have agreed fixed energy costs until the end of 2023.
He said the experience of having to adapt to changing rules and regulations during Covid means the resort is ready to face the challenges ahead and will be fully open.
“For sure everything will be ready for people to come in normal conditions and normal prices,” he said. “Last year we had a full season but with some restrictions, this year it will be without any restrictions.”
Val d’Isere remains an extremely popular ski resort for Brits who make up 42% of all visitors around a quarter of which are usually new to ski.
By the end of November, the resort will expect to have sold 80% of the season and will know by then how good this year will be for the sector.
It is believed the resort has such an affinity with the UK that dedicated skiers are prepared to sacrifice summer holidays to protect their annual trip to the Alps.
All-inclusive operator Club Med is opening its first Exclusive Collection property in the Alps in December offering 216 rooms and a premium dining and winter activities experience.
Nicholas Bresch, the operator’s new UK and Nordics managing director, said consumers are looking to lock-in their costs, so all-inclusive is expected to be popular.
“Customers are looking for that reassurance that once they are on site they do not have to spend a penny on other activities.
“We feel Val is the right ski resort to launch this product segment. It’s all about the service you get from our staff, the food and facilities like the spa.”
Bresch said Club Med has recruited English speaking staff for the resort, specifically in key customer-facing roles like reception, bar and childcare.
“What we see in different surveys is that British people are not prepared to cut their holiday budget. The type of clients we are targeting a definitely ready to spend the same as usual.”
Club Med, which is also opened a new 400-room resort in nearby Tignes, is poised to launch a marketing campaign for its Exclusive Collection this week.
Val d’Isere has also introduced two Hip Hideouts luxury slope-side ski boutique chalets that sleep 10 people.
And the resorts gourmet food offering has been enhanced with two new restaurants, the family-owned René and 150-seat bistro L’Empreinte Avaline.
Richard Sinclair, founder and chief executive of SNO, said the specialist ski agency has beaten is monthly sales record every month for the last six.
And he said, despite the impact of Brexit and Covid, Val d’Isere remains one of British skiers’ most popular resorts. Sinclair described the bounce-back as “extreme”.
“People are back and they want to ski because they’ve not skied properly for two years. What’s terrific is all we are worried about is the snow. That’s how the ski season should be.
“If you have skied in lots of places and one of those is Val, chances are it’s your favourite place you have skied in the whole world. People just want to go back.”
Sinclair said confidence in the winter season is benefitting from the fact there were Covid waves in the UK this spring and summer which prompted no new restrictions.
“We had waves in spring and summer that were nearly as big as the winter waves and no one batted an eyelid.
“What everyone cares about is skiing being as it was three years ago without restrictions imposed by the main Alpine nations. People won’t accept that anymore.”
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