New working laws imposed on chalet companies operating in Switzerland requiring them to pay staff a minimum wage of £2,238 per month have led to numerous mainstream British mid-level chalet operators pulling out of the country or significantly reducing their offering, leaving large numbers of chalets without operators.
Oli Corkhill (pictured above), founder of luxury ski holiday brokers Alpine Guru says this could be good news for wealthier skiers and borders
“We’re predicting that many of the chalets vacated by the mass-market operators will be snapped up by luxury developers and renovated for the high-end market,” said Oli. “This will be very welcome in resorts such as Zermatt, where demand outstrips supply during peak periods for the high-end market.”
This season, Alpine Guru will be offering 184 chalets in 12 Swiss resorts, an increase of 20% from 2013/14.