 Poster: A snowHead
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Interesting article over at PisteHors about number of days skied at French resorts last season. Overall it was up nearly 7%, but the proportion of British visitors dropped by 3% to 21% overall.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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From 24% to 21% could be seen as a 12.5% drop
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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It'll be interesting to see if that figure drops even more this season. Last season people may have had their holidays booked in advance, and therefore not taking into account the recession quite as readily. Whereas this year I would imagine many people have a clearer idea of whether they can or can't afford to commit to ski holiday.
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johnnyh, The lady in the local ski hire shop was of a similar opinion in that it would be worse for the forthcoming season as the French were already committed to their ski holidays last season before the crunch hit
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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If the French continue to charge Brits exhorbitant prices they will continue to see numbers fall. They operate on aless skiers so charge each skier more motive. They need to think less skiers, lets charge less to encourage skiers. Until they change numbers will continue to fall.
Off to Italy this year...........Tignes and Morzine were way too expensive last year!
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kyoto49, I don't think the French have increased prices by too much this year, for example a La Plagne 6 day lift pass has gone up by just under 3% this year and most of the restaurant menus I have seen are at the same price as last years. The main problem is the value of the pound against the euro, this time last year it was 1.3 euros to the pound, 2 years ago it was over 1.4 to the pound now it is virtually 1 euro to the pound.
I can't imagine them dropping prices by 30% just to keep the Brits happy.
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skichampcouk, Not increased their prices too much this year - but very expensive in the first place when compared to Italy and Austria...(particularly the main resorts)
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I don't think it's the actual accommodation etc that is expensive in France, but the food/snacks/drinks can be outrageously priced! 25 Euro in Tignes last year for a plate of Spag Bol!
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skichampcouk, I agree. My brother felt that Italy was more expensive when he visited us, although the prices hadn't changed. There was a subconscious £/€ exchange rate thing going on - although the prices were no different, it was more expensive to him and he felt it.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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kyoto49, I agree with that. We self cater and know most of the picnic areas in La Plagne now and usually just buy drinks in the restaurants. We do treat ourselves occasionally, you can still get a delicious onion soup for 6 euros at the cafe next to the inversen red run and the restaurant by the ice rink in Plagne Bellecote has an excellent 3 course set menu for 18 euros.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Increased prices, decreased certainty over income and terrible exchange rates are a pretty bad economical formula for all kinds of holidays abroad for Brits but especially a fairly costly skiing holiday which for us last year was a good 30% more expensive and could well be another 30% more this year. Added to ones own uncertainty about spending vast amounts of cash at this point in time and the entire proposition of a skiing holiday looks worryingly unlikely.
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skichampcouk, Inversen was one of my favourite runs in La Plagne. We've eaten at that restaurant in Bellecote a few times too.
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You know it makes sense.
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Wasn't the VAT rate for restaurant food in France greatly reduced a while ago in order to help keep resort prices from going further through le roof? Has that/will that work as an incentive to slow the decline of British visitors while the euro/£ exchange rate is still so off-putting?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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3 less skiiers from my family are going skiing this year compared to last. I'm at the moment the only one going skiing this year, but instead of just the usual week I'm going for hopefully 3.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I don't think the French do the expected commercial thing in ski resort businesses generally as AFAIK typically lots of businesses are in the hands of relatively few local families with little leverage needed. In the US it looks like all ski areas are fighting to offer better deals as a matter of survival, perhaps sheltered by large TO traffic in the past many big French resorts don't think they need to invest in their customer base. Every family that chooses Austria or Italy over France on value grounds this winter is potential business lost for the next 10 years. But if skier days are up maybe they don't need to give a toss about Brits.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| kyoto49 wrote: |
If the French continue to charge Brits exhorbitant prices they will continue to see numbers fall. They operate on aless skiers so charge each skier more motive. They need to think less skiers, lets charge less to encourage skiers. Until they change numbers will continue to fall.
Off to Italy this year...........Tignes and Morzine were way too expensive last year! |
That sums it perfectly, however I am going solo to Tignes in Jan. The absolute rip off is bar/restaurant prices. I for one have in the past paid up to €8 a pint, not next year though. I appreciate that they have a limited season and they are 2000m up a mountain etc etc. But I am sure they would make more if they lowered their prices.
Planning Austria for March, with the family, road trip.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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kyoto49, spot on. For equivalent accomodation in Austria you can probably add £100 - £150 over France. But when you consider the €3 saving per beer and €5-10 per meal, depending how much you eat and drink depends which is the more expensive
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Last season I had trips to Tignes, Paradiski, Dolomites, and 4 Valleys, these were planned at 1.25 to the pound, but happened at nearly parity. This season we'll probably get the same exchange rate, but because we are planning at that rate we will be going to different places. The feeling all the time at Tignes, Paradiski, and 4 Valleys that you were being ripped off all time means we won't go back to those or similar ( to be fair in 4 Valleys the beer was not to pricey, but the food was French prices). In comparison the Dolomites eemed reasonable value. So far I have sorted 2 trips to Austria, cheap accomodation is not that easy come by, but got it sorted for St Anton and Mayrhofen (less than 200euro each self catering). Certainly as far as we are concerned France has brilliant skiing, but the ripped off feeling will ensure we go there much less than we would otherwise like. Before everyone starts to list ways of doing France more cheaply, it's not a pure how much do I spend thing, in Paradiski it was actually quite cheap - we were so horrified by the prices we didn't eat or drink out much, cooked and drunk in the hostel to save money, but you still take away the offputting impression.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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20 % + seems like a huge number of Brits for one country  , especially if it is concentrated on specific regions/resorts which I believe it is; I wonder whether this percentage will be down further this season from last season and how it will hit the finances of the resorts?
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According to Le Dauphine Savoie edition: Brits make up two thirds of the flight arrivals (260000 per season in total) and make up at least 47% of hotel beds taken seasonally.
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