The ski holiday industry is bracing itself for another season of being at the mercy of it’s increasingly deal hungry clientele. Recent poor financial figures from some of the largest businesses in the sector have been blamed on the apparently unstoppable rise of the ‘late booker’.

(TRAVPR.COM) UNITED KINGDOM - August 19th, 2010 - This consumer brinkmanship is proving as difficult a thing to predict as alpine snow conditions. “Very late booking trends” were, according to the CEO of Kiss Flight’s parent company Gordon Ash, a contributory factor in that company’s demise. Travel industry heavyweight Tui Travel blamed part of it’s recently reported 4% drop in sales on the larger percentage of late sales, with their lower profit margins. This of course on top of the disruptive Icelandic ash cloud.

Inconsistent snow conditions, coupled with a late Easter last season had a serious effect on ski holiday buying patterns. It is widely expected that the important Christmas and New Year period this coming season will be equally difficult to sell. This is because the usual travel day of Boxing Day falls on a Sunday. Some ski tour operators are considering eight day holidays, Saturday (Christmas and New Years Day) departures, Sunday departures and even Monday departures.

In an effort to counter this trend, tour operators such as Alpine Elements are offering Early-bird discounts and free extras. With 2010/11 ski brochures being finalised at the moment, such operators are offering next seasons holidays at discounted 2009/10 prices, if customers book before the end of August. There are other benefits being offered for early booking, including free liftpasses (which at around £200 per pass is a pretty important saving!).

The more flexible specialist ski companies have already been able to adapt their 2010/11 programme to reflect the late booking trend. As James Hardiman, MD of Alpine Elements noted, “The more forward looking companies have already reacted to the late booking trend... offering early booking discounts, groups and couples discounts, free liftpasses, low deposits”. Other tour operators are also planning similar incentives.

There is little doubt, within the industry, that late booking brinkmanship could be much in evidence this year. The spectre of a ‘double dip’ recession is still receiving much widespread media coverage, prompting a search by savvy skiers for the best ski deals available. However, there is also the feeling that early season snowfalls could play into the holiday companies’ hands. With 20cm (8inches) of fresh snow falls across many high alpine resorts last weekend, there are signs that this coming winter season could be off to a strong start much earlier than expected.

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