No doubt, your inbox and social media are full of companies telling you to book now for next season. They're right, you absolutely should. We are saying the exact same thing, but we want to break it down as to exactly why, so we asked one of our Directors, Xavier Schouller, to explain why booking early for the 2021/22 season is so important. Here are our questions and his responses...
Why is the 'book now for 2021/22 season' message so important?
Skiers who were unable to go skiing in March and for Easter in 2020 plus those that were unable to go skiing this current season have already postponed their bookings to the first safe opportunity they see: the 2021/22 season. This means that, unusually, early on in the booking cycle there are already a lot of bookings and accommodation secured. Normally, these bookings come much later on - typically, towards the end of the current season.
Is demand just from UK skiers?
No. It is not just skiers in the UK that have been prevented from going skiing. Skiers all over Europe including those that make up the majority of skiers on French slopes - the French themselves, were also unable to get their skiing fix. Many simply rolled over their booking to the following season.
Is that the only reason demand is high?
No, after talking to our clients we know that after months of restrictions, lockdowns and an inability to holiday normally, there is massive eagerness to get away, to chill out, to travel again and winter 2021/22 is currently seen as the first opportunity and the safest option. There is huge pent-up demand to be unleashed for international travel and people want to visit their favourite resorts!
Also, those that were the most fortunate over this past year haven’t been able to spend their money on leisure pursuits as they would normally and some have been able to save at a higher than normal rate. Figures from the Office for National Statistics and the Institute for Fiscal Studies show that overall household saving levels in the UK have been much higher than normal. Many will want and will have the ability to treat themselves with a ski holiday. Especially those that may normally only go every other year.
Xavier's last ski of the 2019/20 season.
What's the current situation?
Due to all these factors, we are already seeing tensions when it comes to accommodation supply for winter 2021/22. There is a particular emphasis on higher-end popular accommodation, which is always in shorter supply anyway. As one would expect the peak school holiday dates of Christmas, New Year, February half-term and Easter have been the ones filling-up the most quickly.
After a season which was 'on hold' in terms of downhill skiing at least, resorts are putting lots of effort into planning for 2021/22 and fine-tuning their infrastructure and facilities. They have been welcoming French winter holidaymakers with a host of alternatives to downhill skiing, from cross-country skiing to fat biking and snow-shoeing, so they are ready to welcome skiers and have even more to offer.
Like everyone else we sometimes indulge in wishful thinking but in this instance what we're seeing is not based on wild forecasts, it is based on evidence of bookings made with ourselves in the past two months.
We wish we had an unlimited supply of holidays to offer but sadly we don’t, so we don't want any of our clients to miss out!
You can book now for 2021/22 and benefit from our low deposit offer, just £200 deposit (per apartment not per person) secures your spot on the slopes*. Find out how advance booking works.
If you would like to discuss anything you have read here, or check availability or pricing of your next ski holiday, please call us on 023 9283 9310 or email us at reservations@peakretreats.co.uk, alternatively, you can request a no-obligation quote.
