| Europe's weather this summer has been a strange | | | | benefits. |
| mix, with different countries experiencing greatly | | | | As well as attracting new residents with high net |
| differing weather patterns. | | | | wealth who contribute to Andorra's economy while in |
| Mediterranean countries such as Greece have seen | | | | residence with their spending power, Andorra has a |
| temperatures soar over the hundred farenheit mark, | | | | good banking system that provides good |
| while in the UK floods caused misery for hundreds of | | | | employment prospects. |
| thousands of people. | | | | To obtain residency in Andorra, applications need to |
| The floods affecting large parts of England have | | | | be submitted in Catalan. A notarised copy of the |
| claimed four lives, and left a hundred thousand homes | | | | applicants passport, birth certificate and a certificate |
| without water for two weeks in parts of | | | | of good conduct from the home country are |
| Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. | | | | submitted at the same time. Residency normally |
| Insurance companies have warned that the floods will | | | | takes between three and six months to be |
| cost small businesses millions, and insurers are | | | | approved. |
| expecting tens of millions in claims from homeowners. | | | | While the snow would often start in early November |
| The British government has offered emergency aid | | | | before this ski season, disastrously no sustained |
| to the worst affected areas to help with the cost of | | | | snow periods arrived until March this year. |
| the clear-up. Yorkshire in the north of England saw | | | | No official figures have been released yet as to how |
| some of the heaviest flooding, with thousands of | | | | many tourists visited this year, but some officials are |
| homes left without power and three people dying. | | | | reported to be guessing at a year on year fall of ten |
| But extreme weather, with snow in July, was a | | | | per cent. Private businesses suggest the figure could |
| welcome sight in the French Pyrenees and Andorra in | | | | be closer to forty per cent. Given that private |
| particular which had little snow in their usual ski | | | | businesses see financial figures on a daily basis most |
| season of December to April, bringing hope that this | | | | people in the Andorra tourist industry are veering |
| winter will see a good level of snow. | | | | towards the higher forty per cent figure rather than |
| Andorra is a ski country and a well known tax haven, | | | | what could be an optimistic official estimate. |
| and traditionally the year gets off to a flying start | | | | Despite good snow in mid March and full occupancy |
| with many serious skiers. | | | | at Easter, it was decided not to prolong the agony |
| But this year proved to be different, with the worst | | | | of Andorra's worst tourist season for a generation, |
| snow falls for twenty years and a distinct lack of | | | | and the slopes were closed at the end of the Easter |
| tourists. | | | | holidays, some three weeks earlier than some |
| Andorra has invested heavily in new infrastructure | | | | previous ski seasons. |
| and facilities for the ski tourist in recent years, which | | | | Andorra has come a long way since the mid eighties |
| would make a second successive poor season | | | | when most ski tourists were under the age of |
| particularly hard to bear for the Andorra ski and | | | | twenty five and looking for a cheap ski holiday. With |
| snowboarding industry, if there is a lack of snow for | | | | investment in hotels and in the ski slopes Andorra |
| the 2007-8 season as well. | | | | now competes on level terms with other European |
| This year Andorra opened a new family friendly ski | | | | ski resorts. But unless Europe's weather returns to |
| park in Arinsal, moving away from her old image of a | | | | the familiar pattern of recent decades, all the |
| cheap and cheerful ski holiday for 18-30 year olds to | | | | investment Andorra has made in ski tourism could be |
| one that caters well for all. The snow park includes a | | | | for nothing, with thousands of ski holidays being left |
| conveyor belt and a game zone, designed to give | | | | unsold. |
| children confidence before they ski and use the chair | | | | The weather plus a snow report and ski conditions |
| lifts. | | | | for Andorra's Soldeu ski resort and other skiing |
| Andorra is fortunate compared to many regions | | | | holidays information can be found at The guide also |
| where ski holidays are an important part of the | | | | includes details of ski holiday to Andorra deals plus |
| economy, as it is also a tax haven, second only to | | | | holiday hotel reviews. |
| Monaco in Europe for popularity, and equal in tax | | | | |