As a travel advisor, you can help your clients plan unforgettable ski holidays without breaking the bank by following some of these guidelines below. Here's a comprehensive guide to finding the best deals and creating memorable winter experiences for newbi skiiers and pros:
1. Booking Flexible Dates and Destinations:
- Shoulder Seasons: To save your travellers money encourage them to consider skiing during shoulder seasons: (The periods between peak and off-peak times). They'll often find lower prices on flights, accommodations, and ski passes.
- Less Popular Destinations: Suggest lesser-known ski resorts that offer great skiing and lower costs. You can research some skiing destinations online and some examples include Eastern European resorts like Bansko in Bulgaria or Jasna in Slovakia.
- Ski-In/Ski-Out: Consider ski-in/ski-out accommodations for easy access to the slopes, saving on transportation costs.
- Self-Catered Apartments: Suggest self-catered apartments, B&Bs, or chalets for budget-conscious travellers.
- Hostels: For younger travellers, and solo travel enthusiasts, hostels can be a great affordable option.
- Rental Equipment: Besides the skiing professionals that have their own equipment, renting equipment can be far more cost-effective than buying, especially for occasional skiers.
- Off-Season Purchases: Consider encouraging clients to purchase ski equipment during off-season sales if they want to own their own for skiing long term.
- Second-Hand Equipment: They can also consider buying second-hand equipment from online marketplaces or local shops.
- Multi-Resort Passes: Check popular ski resorts to find multi-resort passes that offer discounts on skiing at multiple destinations.
- Night Skiing: You can recommend night skiing for a unique experience, better for skiing pros rather than newbies though, and offer potential discounts.
- Early Bird Discounts: Booking early is always a way to great savings so encourage your clients to purchase ski passes early to take advantage of early bird discounts.
- Apres-Ski: You can suggest free activities like après-ski, where visitors can enjoy live music, drinks, and socializing.
- Snowshoeing and Winter Hiking: You can further recommend snowshoeing, and winter walk hiking as free or low-cost activities.
- Picnic Lunches: Skiing clients will do well to pack picnic lunches to save money on restaurant meals.
- Winter Sports Coverage: As for all travellers make certain your they have adequate travel insurance that covers winter sports activities, including accidents and medical emergencies.
- Group Tours: Recommend group tours for solo travellers to meet like-minded people and enjoy shared activities for their own safety.
- Ski Schools: Encourage solo travellers to take ski lessons to improve their skills and meet other skiers.
- Social Media Groups: Suggest joining online ski communities to connect with other solo travellers.
- Sustainable Resorts: Recommend eco-friendly resorts that prioritize sustainability and minimize their environmental impact.
- Rental Equipment: Encourage clients to rent equipment to reduce waste and carbon emissions.
- Public Transportation: Suggest using public transportation or walking to reduce reliance on cars.
Remember, the key to a successful ski trip is careful planning, a flexible approach, and a willingness to embrace the winter wonderland.
