Tour Ops look North For 2013-14
Tour Ops look North For 2013-14
Published : 25-Feb-2013 05:27
(Hemsedal)
The new destination choices are starting to come in for winter 2013-14 from the big tour operators and there seems to be a distinct tendency towards Scandinavian ski areas so far.
Crystal have announced that a number of resorts in Norway are 'new' for them, while Inghams have just announced they're going to be offering Pyhä (pronounced Poo-ha) in Finnish Lapland. In most cases the 'new' option for 20130-14 are resorts previously operated by the operators, or other operators, then dropped and now re-introduced.
Situated just north of the Arctic Circle, Pyhä is the fourth Finnish resort in the operator's programme along with Levi, Ylläs and Saariselkä as Lapland continues to regain ground after being dropped from some tour op brochures following the 2008 economic slowdown.
Pyhä is the perfect place to learn to ski and improve technique with easily accessible beginner slopes and confidence building blue runs. Previously awarded Finnish Ski Resort of the Year the ski area has seen heavy investment in recent years with the new Polar Express 6-seater chairlift which whisks skiers and snowboarders to tree lined slopes, and a FunPark for boarders and freestyle skiers.
Pyhä also offers some of the most challenging slopes in Finland including Huttu-Ukko, used by the Finnish Ski Team for race training.
Unique attractions include For snow-cat rides to visit an Arctic Amethyst mine, the only one in Europe, taking home their very own lucky amethyst and ice climbing on the Tajukangas ice fall close to the piste.
Inghams will offers a range of accommodation in Pyhä and flights from Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester to Kittila.
Meanwhile Crystal Ski, is reintroducing Geilo, Hemsedal and Beitostølen in Norway to next winter's programme.
Geilo is a traditional "chocolate-box" village at the heart of Norway's 'winterland 'region with ski areas on both sides of the valley. It offers 40 pistes to suit mainly intermediate and beginner skiers, several snow parks and over 220km of cross country tracks.
Nearby Hemsedal, renowned as the biggest ski area in Norway with an excellent snow record, offers a huge diversity of terrain, some convenient slope-side lodging and good children's nursery slopes.
The small resort of Beitostølen located in the Jotunheimen National Park offers a well planned and efficient lift network, a high quality English speaking ski school and gentle, confident building slopes for families, beginners and low intermediates. There is plenty for children from the Ski Fun Land to the special sledge lift, mini-snowmobiles, husky sledding and floodlit night skiing.
The weekly flights from Gatwick to Fagernes will operate from Sunday 22 December 2013 until 16 March 2014 as the final inbound.
"The snow-sure resorts, the varied terrain and excellent family facilities in Norwegian resorts have always been popular with British skiers, but no one has facilitated what customers also want: making ski holidays to Norway more affordable," said Crystal Ski managing director Simon Cross, "Norway isn't known as a cheap destination, but we've managed to use our buying power to get some great value half board options plus incredibly inexpensive self catering cabins and apartments."
Prices for a week's stay start at £375 (per person based on six sharing) at the Hovi Cabins in Beitostølen on self catering basis including return flights from Gatwick and transfers departing on 5 January 2014.
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