Ski resort costs up 10% this winter amid rising tuition charges, report warns

Lesser-known resorts in Norway and Finland are starting to rival Italy and Bulgaria as the best value family ski destinations amid rising overall costs.

Bardonecchia and Passo Tonale in Italy retained their places as the best value of 32 ski resorts surveyed for cost-conscious adults and families in the 19th annual Post Office Travel Money ski resort report.

But relative Nordic unknowns Geilo, Beitostølen and Pyha have broken into the family ski top 10.

A decline in the value of sterling has made all except budget option Soldeu in Andorra more expensive this winter.

Price rises average more than 10% year on year, according to the survey using local prices for a lift pass, ski equipment, tuition, meals and drinks researched by Crystal Ski Holidays and converted into sterling by the Post Office to calculate one week resort costs for a family of four.

Rising tuition charges could also make ski school a “budget buster” for families – but there are still bargains available, the study found.

Despite recording an above average increase of 14.4% year on year, the £1,797 cost calculated in Passo Tonale came in at half of the most expensive ski resort, Saalbach in Austria, where prices rose 20.5% to £4,060. 

The Italian resort was helped by a free lift pass offer when a child aged up to eight skis with a paying adult. This made it more than 9% cheaper than its closest rival Bardonecchia, where prices were up by 10.5% to £1,984.

Tuition costs are one of the main drivers of rising prices for families, according to the report. 

The highest increase was in Kranska Gora in Slovenia, which recorded an overall 23.5 % year on year rise to £2,117, with ski training costs up 67% from £399 to £666 for a week for two adults and two children aged six and eight.

Soldeu is the only resort to show a price fall to £2,602 - down 3.7% from last winter.

Although Italian resorts continue to take the biggest share of top 10 places for family skiing, Nordic destinations are now rivalling them to offer great value in the coming season. 

Pyha in Finland, with local costs of £2,404, has taken seventh place ahead of Sestriere (£2,500) and La Thuile (£2,576) for families.  

Geilo and Beitostølen in Norway take fifth and sixth places, with costs of £2,179 and £2,293 respectively, due to competitive pricing for ski passes, equipment hire and tuition. However, travellers face higher charges for meals and drinks in the three Nordic ski resorts. 

In the main chart for adult skiers, Bardonecchia topped the rankings for the third year running at a one week cost of £601 and is one of six Italian resorts to feature in the best value top 10.  

Although prices in Bardonecchia have risen 10.5% since last season, skiers will pay 11% more in Borovets, with a total cost of £668, almost 19% more than last season as Bulgarian ski resorts recorded the biggest price increases this year, the survey found.

Head of Post Office Travel Money Laura Plunkett said: “Families may have to dig deeper in their pockets in the coming ski season but there is still great value to be had if they choose carefully.   

“The free lift passes for younger children in Passo Tonale makes it an unbeatable choice for parents with kids under nine, while the fall in prices we picked up in Soldeu makes this family-friendly ski resort an attractive option too.

“However, parents on a limited budget need to be aware of the widely varying prices for ski school if their children need tuition.  

"Pyha, which is new to the ski resort report this year, offers excellent value at half the price families could pay in more expensive French resorts. Our advice is to check prices before booking.”  

She added: “The weaker pound makes it vitally important for skiers to do their homework before booking and factor in the higher cost of ski passes, equipment and ski school in resorts to the package price.  

"The great value available in Italy and Bulgaria make their resorts a good choice for cost-conscious skiers.  However, Norway’s Geilo and Le Corbier in the French Alps are lesser-known resorts that also offer excellent value for bargain hunters.”

Scott Britton, head of Crystal Ski Holidays, added that the report confirms that budget-conscious skiers still have plenty of choice. 

"Bardonecchia again tops the best value list, showing that Italy continues to offer competitive pricing without compromising on the ski experience,” she said.

“But what’s especially encouraging is the diversity of resorts featured in the top 10 - from the Alpine charm of France to the Nordic landscape of Norway and the scenic slopes of Bulgaria.”