Agents missing out on lucrative winter market
Travel agents are missing out on the lucrative ski market, according to a survey carried out by the Ski Club of Great Britain.
Almost half of the 15,000 skiers questioned said they take at least two trips a year and 18% go at least three times, spending an average of £1,350 per person on each trip, almost £900 of which was the cost of the actual package.
Given that the average group size is four people, the average ski booking is worth around £3,600, therefore a travel agency could earn more than £10,000 a season from a loyal skier.
Skiers aged 16 to 24 tend to travel in larger groups of five or more, boosting the value even higher.
However, the Ski Club’s research also revealed that skiers are increasingly keen to sort out their own holidays; respondents were more likely to book travel, accommodation, lessons, passes, transfers and equipment themselves, rather than as part of a package, it said.
Package bookings now account for less than 50% of all snow sports travel bookings, according to the Ski Club.
Skiers are more likely to turn to the internet and dedicated snowsports websites for information on resorts, weather reports and inspiration, it said.
France is the most popular country for skiers, accounting for eight of the most visited resorts and 13 of the top 20.
When choosing a resort, guaranteed snow (92%) and piste quality (89%) came up as the most important factors, although 16-24 year-olds placed more weight on off-piste accessibility (41%), and over-45s look for a lack of crowds (51%).
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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