On a day when the UK is covered in the stuff, the Ski Club of Great Britain reports a rise in the number of Brits seeking snow on their holidays...

The UK Snowsports Market has risen by 3.3% to 1.27 million according to the Ski Club of Great Britain’s annual Snowsports Analysis 2006.

Independent travel rose by 7.3% year on year as more people travelled independently to ski resorts and booked their own resort accommodation. In line with this trend the number of weekends taken by skiers and boarders has increased by 2% since 2004/5. This is not surprising as no-frills airlines continue to carry more passengers and expand their routes.

The tour operator market rose at a slower rate, however, growing 2.2% year on year with the major tour operators reporting growth in passenger numbers.

Fiona Sweetman, Marketing Manager of the Ski Club of Great Britain, said of the findings:   “It is great news that the number of people taking a snowsports holiday has grown again. This means that since the year 2000 the market has risen over 15%.”

Despite the increased profile of climate change and its potential impact on snowsports, people are not choosing more environmentally friendly methods of transport. The report states that the use of the train to travel to resort has declined by 2% and the use of airlines has increased by 1% year on year.

Snow hotpots...

France remains the most popular snowsports destination for UK skiers and boarders, holding 42% of the market share. Bulgaria saw a rise in popularity as the country increases investment and promotion of their ski resorts. The USA has also seen an increase of 1% year on year. Italy saw a decrease of 2% in their market share, although this is probably down to the fact the Olympics were hosted by Turin in February 2006.

This is good news for investors who own rental properties in ski resorts in these destinations, especially when independent travel is rising faster than the tour operator market.

Interestingly, the findings also show a 1% decrease in the popularity of snowboarding (from 18% to 17%) with skiing remaining the same at 77%. Non-skiers and ‘other’ disciplines account for the other 6%. More beginners are reported to be taking up skiing but less taking up snowboarding. For both disciplines the intermediate category remains the largest.