A perfect storm of post-Olympic fever, excitement over the current huge snow bases on the ski slopes, and some tight dates in the 2015 calendar that mean key weeks for next winter are already busy, and likely to be booked up very early, has led to some tour operators advising people to book now if they want to secure their preferred holiday accommodation and dates for 2015.
“Our well-informed clients have already booked for February half-term 2015, always one of the busiest weeks of the season in France, or are doing so now!” says Xavier Schouller of Peak Retreats.
“The main reason for this is that next year the week of 14–21 February 2015 will be even more sought after than was the case over the past couple of years. Not only will it be the only UK half-term week, but it will also be a week when two-thirds of France, including the Paris area, are on holiday too – along with the Belgians, Danish and Dutch.”
Many tour operators are already selling next year’s holidays online, and some even have special offers for (very) early bookers.
The UK’s biggest operator, Crystal Ski, has been selling 2015 holidays since the end of 2013, and its first issue of early-booking deals are already nearing their end (31 March) – although a new batch will, no doubt, be launched soon after. Those deals include 2-for-1 ski/board hire, saving up to £179 (or on ski carriage, saving up to £35).
Although the company has yet to announce all that will be new for 2014–15 (that cones in the spring), it is selling holidays to new chalets in Austria and France that are not available to book this season.
“2015 is seeing record early bookings, often by people who left it too late this year, who won’t risk being caught out twice. The keenest are securing their ideal holiday, rather than merely what’s left,” said Richard Sinclair of award-winning specialist travel agency SNO.co.uk. “Overall there seems to be an increase in early booking for half-term. Some think the recession really is over, but it’s likely also a result of the high-profile fines for parents in England taking children out of school for holidays.”
“We are already seeing lots of people asking to book for next season,” agrees Jane Bolton, MD of Erna Low, “Our new website allows people to book accommodation and independent travel in one place, and we have seen big demand from people wishing to book Easyjet flights and so on, so our job now is to contract more hotels who are happy to do weekends for short breaks, as we feel that this will be a growing sector in the market for 2014–15.”
If you can avoid half-term week, the good news is that although no doubt busy, some of the other key dates for the ski season that are sometimes a problem won’t be for 2014–15. Christmas 2014 and New Year’s Day 2015 are on Thursdays, not change-over Saturdays, for example, and Easter shouldn’t be too bad.
“Fortunately we will have less pressure with Easter next year as the main UK fortnight from 28 March 2015 will be before French holidays, and only clash with the Belgians over the second week,” says Schouller.