Patrick Thorne, Author at InTheSnow

A record numbers of Americans are opting to swap their US "Ski Vacations" for "Ski Holidays" in the Alps, research from ski specialists SNO Ski Holidays has found. The company says official tourism data confirms double-digit growth across all major Alpine nations during winter 2024-25. Switzerland recorded a 13.4% increase in American overnight stays, Austria saw US visitors jump 15.4% to nearly one million stays, and France reported American visitor numbers up 10.6%. Winter 2025-26 is on course to break records again. "It was a rock solid good year. For America we had an amazing record," said Martin Nydegger, Director of Switzerland Tourism, commenting on figures that saw US overnight stays reach 1.7 million during the winter season alone. Ski Pass Integration Has Opened Doors The expansion of multi-resort passes has made European skiing more accessible to American pass holders. Epic Pass now includes 34 European resorts including Verbier and Les 3 Vallées, while Ikon Pass covers 24 Alpine destinations including Chamonix, Zermatt, and Dolomiti Superski. Dolomiti Superski reported a 30% year-on-year increase to 12,350 Ikon Pass customers by mid-season last winter. "It looks like joining Ikon Pass was a great chance for Dolomiti Superski to conquer the hearts of North American skiers," said Diego Clara, PR representative for the Italian ski consortium. Switzerland Tourism reports that Zermatt recorded approximately 50,000 Ikon-related skier-days in recent seasons, with the US now the resort's second most important market with around 20% of skiers visiting Zermatt now American. Many American skiers are hitting European resorts on these passes for no additional cost for the ski pass in the Alps after their initial $1,000+ outlay to purchase them before the season start, so long as they keep within their passes' T&Cs. Even without the Epic or Ikon passes, the stark price disparity for regular ticket prices makes transatlantic travel look increasingly financially sensible for Americans. According to SNO's research, walk-up lift tickets at major US resorts now dwarf European equivalents. Although prices are often fluid these days, Deer Valley can charge $366 per day compared to €85 ($100) at St Anton, while Vail's daily ticket sometimes costing around $322 is more than three times the €86 ($101) charged at Les 3 Vallées. "American skiers are doing the maths," says Richard Sinclair of SNO Ski Holidays. "When your lift ticket is $320 a day at Vail but you can get a week's package vacation in the Alps for less than that per day, including flights, accommodation, and lift pass, it's no wonder snow lovers are crossing the Atlantic." Beyond Price, Europe Offers Americans Alpine Culture and Sheer Scale The appeal extends beyond economics. European terrain dwarfs American competition, with Les 3 Vallées offering 600km of pistes is roughly four to six times more terrain than the largest US resorts. The interconnected nature of Alpine skiing allows visitors to ski across multiple villages, even crossing international borders, on a single pass. A reviewer from SKI Magazine revealed what Americans who head to Europe experience, noting cultural differences and observing that Alpine dining "blows American ski lunches to pieces" with sit-down mountain restaurants replacing the cafeteria-style approach common in the US. Après-ski tradition also draws American visitors who have heard of fabled revelry at the end of the skiing day. VinePair's Adam Teeter described a scene in Zermatt where "the music is pumping, turned up to maximum volume… The scene recalls the rowdiest nightclubs of Barcelona when the hour nears 3 a.m. Only, rather than 3 a.m. in Barcelona, it's 3 p.m. in Zermatt.” The Canada Factor The trend has been amplified by what some are calling the "Trump Effect" on Canadian skiers. Domaines Skiables de France reported Canadian visitors up 21.3%. Isabelle Rapisarda of Jungfrau Region Tourism notes: "We are seeing renewed interest from Canadian visitors. Scarred by tensions between the two countries, they are avoiding destinations in the US in favour of Europe and Switzerland." Is This A More Permanent Shift? Industry analyst Laurent Vanat, author of the International Report on Snow & Mountain Tourism, observed that the "decline of the number of skiers on the Western market did not really happen as expected, with ageing baby-boomers keeping on skiing." What the data now reveals is where they're choosing to ski, and Europe is winning. The 2024-25 US ski season recorded 61.5 million skier visits according to the National Ski Areas Association, yet overcrowding at major resorts has pushed some Americans to seek alternatives. Telluride now requires advance reservations for Epic Pass holders and limits their access to seven days. With European resorts continuing to invest in infrastructure and international marketing while American lift ticket prices climb, the transatlantic trend shows no sign of reversing. Pictured top: Paradiski, France

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