A recent study by British travel agencies revealed that Italy has surpassed Bulgaria as the leading budget-friendly ski destination in Europe. The study extensively analyzed the expenses associated with ski passes, equipment rental, lessons, as well as lunch and drinks at the slopes across 36 European cities.
Key findings:
- Italian resorts continue to dominate the best value rankings for adult skiers, holding five of the top ten spots.
- Bardonecchia has emerged as the cheapest adult ski destination, displacing Bulgaria’s Borovets for the first time.
- France has entered the best value top three for adults for the first time, thanks to the introduction of Le Corbier.
- Swiss resorts remain the most expensive.
- Families seeking the lowest prices will find them in Jahorina in Bosnia & Herzegovina, one of eight new ski resorts introduced for this year’s report.
- Passo Tonale has overtaken Bardonecchia in family value, with prices falling year-on-year.
- Beitostollen and Geilo in Norway and Kranjska Gora in Slovenia also feature in the top 10 for families.
- The biggest price drop for families (8.9% year-on-year) is in Ruka, Finland, which moves up to seventh place. Prices are also down by 2.9% in Rauris, Austria.
The findings indicated that prices have decreased in nine out of the 31 European winter resorts featured in both this year’s and last year’s study. Notably, the French resort of Les Arcs and the Swiss resort of Wengen experienced significant price reductions of 5.5% this year.
Another significant discovery was the inclusion of a French resort in the top three rankings for the first time. Le Corbier, situated in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, offers a comprehensive package including a week-long ski pass for adults, equipment, lessons, and meals and beverages for £611.
However, due to the impact of global warming leading to reduced snowfall, the family-oriented ski resort La Sambuy, located in the French Alps, ceased its operations in September of this year.
In the assessment of the cost-effectiveness of ski holidays, the Bulgarian ski resorts of Borovets and Bansko secured second and sixth place, respectively.
This year’s comparison of prices in all the leading European ski destinations shows that the cost of lift passes, equipment hire, tuition and living costs continues to vary by hundreds of pounds. This makes it vitally important for skiers looking for a bargain break to do their homework before booking a ski holiday. Bulgaria and Italy are again looking great value but both Andorra and Finland are good alternatives to more expensive resorts in France, Austria and Switzerland.
Nick Boden, Head of Post Office Travel Money
The study, conducted by British tour operators Post Office Travel Money and Crystal Ski Holidays, identified Italy’s Bardonecchia as the top value-for-money destination, with a minimal price increase of 1.4% compared to the previous year. Borovets in southwest Bulgaria claimed the second spot despite an 8.2% price increase, while Bansko, located in the same region, ranked sixth with a rise of 18.1%, mainly due to increased ski school costs.
With inflation and rising living costs putting pressure on family vacation budgets, the desire for travel and experiences remains strong. A survey of 2,001 adults indicates that 12% are actively planning a ski holiday between December 2023 and April 2024.
In addition, Crystal Ski Holidays has shared insights into the pricing trends at various ski resorts. The Italian ski resort prices have seen a modest year-on-year increase of 1.4%, with the average cost now at £532. The popular destination of Borovets experienced a more significant price hike of 8.2%, bringing the cost to £554. Meanwhile, another Bulgarian resort, Bansko, observed a substantial rise of 18.1%, reaching £642, despite being recognized as the best value in 2018.