The uncertain political and economic upheaval surrounding Brexit appears to be having an impact on the upcoming ski season according to The Changing Landscape of the Ski Market report commissioned by Club Med.
The sixth annual ski report has revealed that 26% of Brits are more likely to take a winter ski or snowboard holiday outside of the EU post Brexit because of a perceived increase in expense and potential visa implications.
A further 34% of those polled said it would make them rethink their holiday destination, with destinations in Eastern Europe becoming an increasingly popular option. Brits are seeking adventures outside of the traditional ski domains to countries such as Croatia, Slovenia and Bulgaria, all of which feature in the ?Top Ten? list of desirable destinations for the coming winter.
Despite Brexit playing a part in where and how people are choosing to holiday this year, British holidaymakers are determined to not let this get in the way of their alpine getaway, with 84% saying that they are still likely to go on a skiing or snowboarding holiday this season but 29% of them won?t be making holiday arrangements until Brexit is finalised.
The level of snowfall is also an increasingly crucial factor for Brits when choosing a winter destination; more than a third look back at snowfall from previous seasons and 27% will be choosing a resort at a higher altitude this year to guarantee the best possible snow conditions.
Estelle Giraudeau, the holiday provider?s managing director for UK and Northern Europe, said: ?Despite the economic uncertainty with Brexit, we continue to see strong year on year growth and we have ambitious expansion plans in the ski market. We don?t have any plans to slow down our ski expansion despite the uncertainty surrounding Brexit. Over the course of the next three years we are set to move into the ever expanding and popular Canadian ski market as well as keep expanding in Asia with a new ski resort in China.?
The report found that that the use of wearable tech and VR is on the rise and also examined the rise in popularity of social media for Brits when skiing, with 88% of smartphone users logging into their social media accounts during their last ski or snowboard holiday. Research found that two thirds of millennials pick holiday destinations based on what they see on Instagram and other social media channels.
The operator has introduced a bespoke booking service designed to take the hassle out of booking group holidays for 15 or more people, now available to travel agents.
For more information visit www.clubmed.co.uk
