Half-term ski sales hampered by limited availability
Gary NoakesAgents are struggling to convert renewed demand for winter sports holidays due to limited availability, high prices and rebookings as holidaymakers look to take advantage of the government’s pledge to ease the UK’s travel and testing rules next month.
The planned relaxation of testing rules from 11 February should have seen a surge in half-term bookings, but operators and agents say availability for the peak week is scarce. “Our February sales are struggling, we are struggling with availability,” Deben Travel’s Lee Hunt told TTG.
“We normally do a good amount of ski in February half-term, but the availability isn’t there. Then there’s the hoops people have to jump through if you’re taking children skiing. A lot of families I’m speaking to who would usually book ski for February half-term have just taken the decision they’re going to put it off and book early for next season, which is what we’re encouraging people to do.”
Skiworld sales and marketing director Diane Palumbo said Hunt’s experience was a fair reflection of the situation. “We are pretty much sold out for the two February half-terms; I think we have a few beds left, but not many flights.” Palumbo said sales, generally, were “rocketing”, but stressed flying programmes had been reduced.
“People are shocked by how much flights are," she said. “The industry has been on its knees, capacity has been reduced, and when supply and demand is reduced, there’s an inflated pressure on prices, which is what we’re seeing on flights.”
On the accommodation side, operators from other nations have taken rooms ahead of those in the UK, creating supply issues. Palumbo also said squeezing the equivalent of two seasons into one, with the 2020/21 season having been all-but completely wiped out by Covid, was an issue.
“We go to suppliers and ask for increases but the opposite is happening, we’re having allocations taken away from us," said Palumbo. "That’s making the beds we have left for the season even more at a premium.”
The government’s announcement that 12 to 15-year-olds will soon be able to use the NHS Covid Pass app to prove their vaccination status has come as a relief to the industry, though.
“We had a few large bookings we had to transfer to next season because of vaccination problems with children," said Hunt. "The worry is how difficult it will be when children are there, and getting your head around all of the passes, requirements, etc."
Late Easter
Despite extending the app to 12 to 15-year-olds, there remain rules that may deter some families. “In France, that age group – if they only have one vaccination – have to be tested every day. But the testing capacity in resorts is sufficient, we’re not getting reports of that being an issue,” Palumbo said.
In the luxury sector, Rupert Longsdon, founder of Oxford Ski, said enquiries were “very strong” since France reopened. “The skiing is great, resorts are open, the feedback has been fantastic. It’s been a bumpy start, but the general feeling is that it is great now everything is up and running. Most importantly of all, I don’t think things will go backwards now.
“Hotel rooms and chalets are now getting booked up which is good. I think there will be some people who will want to go twice. Easter is very late anyway (17 April) so most resorts will end that weekend or the one after.”
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Gary Noakes
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