When To Ski And When To Book For 2013-14
When To Ski And When To Book For 2013-14
Published : 10-Jul-2013 09:19
Tour operators are of course always telling us to "book early to get the best deals" or sometimes more accurately "book early to ensure the holiday you want is still available."
But they don't often go in to a great deal of explanation as to why you should book early.
So it's always interesting to get some insider tips, and J2ski.com talked to Xavier Schouller, boss of frequent award winning operators Peak retreatswww.peakretreats.co.uk - which specialises in unspoilt French villages linked to giant ski regions and Ski Collection www.skicollection.co.uk, which offers affordable accommodation in the leading French resorts, and which between them cover most French resorts, about how winter 2013-14 looks like shaping up in terms of bookings.
Here's what Xavier told us, and though the advice applies particularly to French ski trips, much of it is equally valid for travel to other countries.
The Key Holiday Periods
Christmas 2013
Change over day is midweek (Saturday 21st) which is good news as it avoids complications when Christmas and new year change over days fall at the weekends which can mean tour ops have to do 8 or 6 day trips to avoid flying then. Christmas has been a bit of a quieter week than it once was in recent seasons and currently there are lots of good deals.
New Year 2014
Although it's a good change over day again (Saturday 28th) New Year, traditionally the busiest and most expensive week of the season, looks likely to be booked up quickly, so if you want to go then, best book now.
"The New year week sold out quite quickly last season and again this season being a holiday week for most other European countries too we expect availability to disappear pretty quickly," says Xavier.
February Half Term
In February French holidays run for four weeks from 15th February (Paris area first week) to 15th March. British holidays are concentrated in one week, the same one as the Parisians.
"Sadly UK half term will be back to one single week in 2014 after being spread over two weeks this year so there will be a lot of pressure on availability and we can't recommend enough for clients to book early," says Xavier.
Easter
It's a later Easter but the school holidays are coming before it and booking is already well underway,
"With Easter holidays in early April we are seeing good demand for that month already and both weeks (beginning 5th and 12th April) are proving popular on the back of last years' excellent conditions," says Xavier, "Once again the UK holidays start at the same time as the Belgians and the French and German holidays start on the 12th. This is also the second week of UK and Belgian holidays so this will be the possibly more popular week.
Overall
Xavier reports business up last season and expects further growth next winter with the market buoyed by the good snow conditions last season, which left skiers hungry for more and going home to tell their friends.
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