Revealed: Europe's cheapest ski resort
Big news for budget-conscious travellers – according to a new report this week, the Slovenian resort of Kranjska Gora has the lowest prices in Europe, knocking Bansko in Bulgaria off the top spot for the first time in seven years.
Produced in partnership with Crystal Ski Holidays, the 11th annual ski costs survey from the Post Office compared prices in 22 European resorts – five French, five Italian, five Austrian, three Swiss, and one each in Andorra, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Finland.
Acclaimed as Europe's best-value family resort in December last year, Kranjska Gora has now been confirmed as the cheapest resort overall, followed by Bardonecchia, in Italy. Of the 10 cheapest destinations on this year’s Post Office report, four are Italian, providing an alternative to the Eastern European resorts which are usually seen as a good bet for a lower-priced winter sports break.
The most expensive European resort in the survey was Zermatt in Switzerland, with a price index of ￡839. Remarkably, on the other side of the Matterhorn from Zermatt, the Italian resort of Cervinia has an index of ￡443 – the two ski resorts are linked by lifts, meaning visitors to Cervinia can enjoy the same slopes for a fraction of the cost.
A resort’s price index is calculated by adding the prices in sterling for a six-day ski pass, skiing lessons, ski and boot hire, plus food and drink consisting of one lunch on the slopes (main course and dessert), a large coffee, a small Coke, a beer and a glass of wine.
The 10 cheapest resorts in Europe | Cost of lift pass, equipment hire, lessons and food and drink
Since this time last year, the cost of a break has gone down in 15 of the 22 European destinations surveyed, due to a combination of lower prices in resorts and an improved exchange rate. The biggest decrease is Morzine in France, with a price index that’s 13 per cent lower than October 2016. Prices have also dropped significantly in other French resorts, including Les Deux Alpes (down 11 per cent), Serre Chevalier (9.3 per cent) and Val d’Isère (7.6 per cent).
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On the other hand, several Austrian resorts are slightly more expensive – Ellmau’s price index has risen by 4.5 per cent, followed by Kaprun (up 3.2 per cent) and Kitzbühel (2.7 per cent).
Six North American resorts were also surveyed – three in Canada and three in the United States. Compared to last year's report, the price gap between the countries is widening, with Canadian ski areas offering increasingly better value for British travellers than US ones.
Choosing a low-priced resort that’s suited to your needs is a good start, but there are other steps travellers can take to ensure a holiday offers great value for money.
North American resorts | Cost of lift pass, equipment hire, lessons and food and drink
“Once the ski trip is booked, it is crucial to plan carefully to ensure the ski budget does not go off piste,” says Andrew Brown of Post Office Travel Money. “Take enough foreign currency to cover all the costs you are likely to incur in addition to ski passes and equipment, but avoid wasting cash through last-minute airport currency purchases. Once abroad, paying on plastic can incur transaction charges, so consider carrying cash on a prepaid Travel Money Card which avoids this pitfall.”
The 2017 report with a full breakdown of prices will be published tomorrow on the Post Office website.