Firebird Director Chris Thompson presents the latest insights from across the ski sector, with a round-up of trends, successes and challenges – plus the market’s future outlook.
As we enter the 2025 ski season, now feels like an opportune moment to revisit what’s going on in the sector: how are things shaping up for the months (and years) ahead?
I last shared an update about the ski sector back in March, and a recent call-out to my ski sector network for their insights has helped build an interesting picture of the current status quo for SMEs (small and medium enterprises) and resorts.
Of course not everyone is having the same experience, but there are some common trends and stories that are significant for the industry as a whole. In this piece I’ve brought together feedback from a number of founders, CEOs, MDs and others who took their time to update me. Here’s what I heard.
Booking patterns – “less predictable”
Across the board, reports of overall sales are still on the rise since the slump of the pandemic years. For example, the CEO of one leading firm described being “on track for another PB this winter in terms of volume and EBITDA [earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation]”. Figures from chalet rental platform OVO Network back up this trend, with the team telling me that “[in] terms of volume, there is a 24.8% increase in UK [guest] bookings year-on-year.”
In terms of booking patterns, however, it seems that things are proving less predictable for many. There seems to be a real polarisation here: some customers are booking their trips a lot earlier than traditionally (e.g. Dan Fox, owner of Ski Weekends, described their early summer bookings as “strong”) while others are choosing to book a lot later (possibly while “people wait to see if the snow is arriving”, in the words of J2Ski founder David Pellat).
Has the middle ground for bookings gone? Perhaps. References to “stop-start,” “slow” and “soft” trade during the September to November period came to me from more than one operator.
Budget versus luxury – “market split”
The market also seems to be splitting between luxury and budget lines. David Pellat described “divides in the market in several directions, at least amongst our audience (with a significant proportion of independent travellers and DIY-holidaymakers).”
I heard reports of strong sales from both self-catering providers and high-end operators, such as the founder of Peak Retreats Xavier Schouller. “Over the past few years,” he explained, “we’ve noticed a trend of increasing demand and supply at the very top end of the ski market.” His team’s response was to re-launch their Ski Collection brand targeting the high net worth segment.
At the other end of the spectrum, lower-cost self-catering options are dominating today’s market, their success driven by platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com, which have a strong appeal to younger, independent travellers. (50% of whom will choose self-catered accommodation according to statistics in this recent post from James Gambrill, the COO of Ski Club Great Britain.)
Again, it’s trade in the middle ground that is getting a bit harder, with some mid-market catered chalet operators having a particularly tricky time. Meanwhile, the lower end of catered trips has effectively disappeared post-Brexit. (See this recent article from The Telegraph’s aptly named Nick Trend: “The traditional British ski chalet holiday is under threat.”)
In the words of Nick Williams, owner of France and Switzerland specialists Mountain Heaven, “[there are now] significant pressures on operating costs, with chalet owners demanding increased rents and rising costs everywhere, from food to insurance costs and utilities”.
Holiday timings – “unprecedented”
Cahal Kane, MD of SkiYodl, said his main observation for the year was that “demand for New Year and Half Term has been through the roof,” which he put down to travellers wanting to avoid the late Easter break. My observation would be that pricing for Feb half term trips has also become too punchy for many skiers – potentially supporting a shift to other periods.
Similarly, Nick Williams described how “Christmas, New Year, Half Term booked up this year in record time.” Interestingly, he added that he’d seen “high demand for the 12th April… this [was] almost 70% fully booked” as of the date he made contact.
But that hasn’t been the story for everyone. One press release I came across from Chalets1066, which describes itself as “the largest independent chalet operator in the French ski resort of Les Gets”, revealed a move to reduce prices by an average of 20% over the winter half-term break in February.
According to the release: “This unprecedented decision has been made because whilst half term week has completely sold out every year in the past by November, a combination of factors means there are still free chalets available as we head towards Christmas.”
Les Gets is a resort close to my heart and it may have suffered due to fears around altitude, although that shouldn’t really be a worry in the middle of the season. There’s been a lot of additional supply in resorts like Les Gets in the past 10 to 15 years and current economic pressures may mean that demand is struggling to keep up.
Given that a ski trip is often the second or third holiday for many households, it’s highly sensitive to economic pressures. And while general travel remains seen as an essential for many, value-driven propositions are currently critical for maintaining demand. That said, within ski there is clearly still a role for mountain specialists who can offer curated, destination-specific properties and experiences, not least when it comes to customers who want luxury.
Ageing ski population – “not growing markets”
Cost remains the biggest barrier for younger skiers, with 90% citing affordability as the reason they don’t go, according to Ski Club Great Britain stats. The club adds that the average UK skier is nearly 50. There is little evidence of meaningful growth in new entrants.
Indeed, school and university trips – which were once key for introducing young people to skiing – are not growing markets either thanks to cost issues, the sector’s general move away from budget accommodation, and challenges around finding teachers willing to lead trips. Within the UK, indoor ski slopes and dry slopes are helping to keep skiing visible, but it would seem they have limited success in converting participants into holidaymakers.
In my view, operators could do more to appeal to the younger demographic, but slim margins and the shift to upmarket accommodation make this challenging. One answer may lie in a change to marketing approaches. It seems that ski companies often undersell the broader mountain experience, focusing too narrowly on beds and snow rather than culture, wellness, or adventure. Instagram is critical for younger skiers (54% of 18 to 42-year-olds cite it as a top influence in their booking choices, according to Ski Club Great Britain), and operators must better leverage storytelling and visual content to engage this audience.
Regions – “the rise and rise of Scandinavia”
Younger travellers are typically expecting a broader winter experience, which may be why destinations like Scandinavia, with cultural and non-ski offerings, are thriving. Head of PR at Inghams, Louise Newton, described the “rise and rise” of the region to me, adding: “Yes, [the sector’s] been selling it since 1990, but here we are with new [flight] charters in from London and Manchester, and already on sale for 25/26. Good snow, prices not crazy at half term.”
Elsewhere Richard Rice, owner of Ski Safari, shared the news that their “adult-only bookings [to Norway] are up 40% year on year” – led by huge growth in “multi-centre ski safaris” and in resorts in western Norway. Bookings to Norway were up for Ski Weekends too (alongside Austria.) For Ben Nyberg, Director of Scandinavian Travel Ltd, it is the “snow surety” of Scandinavia that continues to bring in business.
Sustainability – “impacting investment?”
UK skiers today are definitely prioritising those resorts least likely to be impacted by climate change – i.e. those that are high-altitude and snow-reliable. As David Pellat at J2Ski noted, “with the late arrival of European snow there's a clear preference for altitude. Early-opening and high-altitude resorts – predictably – are dominating our weather-related searches at the moment.” However, sustainability is not yet a major factor in destination choice.
For me there is a risk here, and it’s that skiing may increasingly become – or at least be perceived as – an environmentally damaging, elite, high-altitude pursuit which is disconnected from broader mountain economies (a trend I’ve noted in previous updates). Private equity and venture capital – which have become strong options for many businesses in the travel sector more broadly – may be less likely to invest in ski businesses given the climate risks and negative optics. There are a number of businesses in the sector that have struggled to find new owners or secure investment over the last couple of years.
In my view, rail and low-carbon travel must become easier and better integrated into the overall ski experience. That will require collaboration between operators and destinations. The future lies in diversifying offerings to create sustainable year-round destinations that benefit local communities and economies. Operators must serve not only visitors but also the destinations themselves, ensuring alignment with local and environmental needs.
Conclusion – “think beyond skiing”
With all that in mind, my final take is that the ski market is at a pivotal moment. Meeting that moment requires bold innovation, and a shift in focus to adapt to demographic, economic and environmental pressures.
It seems clear that stability in the UK ski market will remain elusive going forward. Yet quality at every price point, and service to the broader mountain economy – with a focus on the value of experiences – will be the defining factors for long-term success.
Chris Thompson is a Director of the Firebird Partnership, with over 20 years’ experience of leading and growing businesses in the travel and tech sectors. His focus is on creating strategy, building teams, and devising processes that are both efficient and value-building.
Learn all about Firebird at www.firebirdpartnership.com
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