| There has been a lot of articles and press releases | | | | a fraction of the cost of the tour operator. In these |
| written about when to book next season's ski | | | | days of the "internet savvy" holidaymaker, it doesn't |
| holidays. Many of these have reported that there | | | | take very long to package the rest of your holiday |
| could be a complete lack of accommodation because | | | | independently, with airport transfers and outside |
| large tour operators have cut the number of chalets | | | | catering. The result? A ski holiday at a fraction of the |
| they are running. The industry advice is (rather | | | | cost. |
| unsurprisingly) "book early or face disappointment". | | | | A booking agent in Chatel reported: |
| Is there any truth to these statements, or is it just | | | | "Just because large tour operators have reduced the |
| spin/pr from within the ski industry to try and | | | | number of chalets that they offer, doesn't mean that |
| encourage people to book early for what could be a | | | | there will be less chalets to rent. On the contrary, |
| difficult season? | | | | there are now a large number of chalets available |
| Some of what is written is in fact true. A number of | | | | which were previously tied in to expensive contracts |
| tour operators have significantly reduced the number | | | | with tour operators. |
| of catered chalet holidays they are will offer. So a | | | | In our resort, one catered chalet tour operator |
| customer who usually holidays with a particular | | | | decided not to continue for next winter. This meant |
| operator may find that there is less availability with | | | | that there are now less catered chalet holidays |
| that operator during winter 2009/2010. | | | | available. However, most of the ski chalets which |
| However, what most of these articles and press | | | | were rented by the company are now available with |
| releases have failed to point out is that although | | | | a number of different booking agents, in many cases |
| chalets may have been dropped by a particular | | | | at a lower price." |
| operator, these properties still exist and in most | | | | Of course, the main New Year and half term weeks |
| cases, the owners still want to rent them out. | | | | will be booked up early. However, if you have |
| Generally, booking a ski chalet through a large tour | | | | flexibility over which date you can holiday, then |
| operator is not the cheapest way to take a ski | | | | rather than having reduced supply, this coming winter |
| holiday (although many like the security which this | | | | may well see a number of increasingly desperate |
| affords). Because these operators often have large | | | | property owners slashing rental prices in order to get |
| overheads, they are unable to offer chalet holidays | | | | some bookings. The truth is, no one knows for sure, |
| as cheap as owner run businesses. So if a chalet | | | | but there is certainly no need to panic and book an |
| owner finds his or herself without anyone renting | | | | early holiday just because the ski press has told you |
| their chalet, they will offer it for rent direct, often at | | | | to! |