Skiing is not only a popular winter sport, but also an extremely important economic sector, attracting millions to mountain resorts every year. This type of tourism is especially significant in countries and regions that base their economy on the promotion of winter sports. Skiing not only provides employment opportunities for the local population, but also represents a serious source of income for the tourism industry.
This is how the travel agencies spin during the ski season
Tourism built around skiing also supports many other industries, such as accommodation, restaurants, transport, ski equipment rental and ski instruction. In addition, skiing makes the regions an attractive destination during the winter months, when traditional summer tourism declines. By doing so
winter tourism helps stabilize the economy and avoid problems caused by seasonality.
And what does the ski season mean for travel agencies in terms of income?
“There are very large differences in this between the individual members of the Invia travel agency’s network of 30+ offices across the country: the standard deviation is between 3-40 percent” Olasz Imola told Economx. The head of the company’s representative office in Szeged and also its ski instructor added that ski routes are particularly popular in Csongrád, Fejér and Pest counties, while residents of Somogy, Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg and Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok counties are less mobile during this period.
According to statistics, skiing stimulates tourism mostly in countries where serious work is put into marketing and promoting skiing.
Restaurants are also doing well with ski tourism
The Alps, the Himalayas, the Andes and the Rockies are all places where skiing is an important attraction not only for locals, but also for international visitors. The development of ski slopes and marketing campaigns based on winter tourism contribute to the economic development of these regions, creating new opportunities for local communities.
Most of us just go next door
Compared to other countries, Hungary’s skiing culture is not so outstanding, but the interest in skiing has certainly shown a significant increase in recent decades.
The ski trails are also extremely popular among the domestic population, based on all the ski trails sold for this season, the top 3 destinations
Olasz Imola told Economx.
He also pointed out that most people typically look for nearby ski resorts with Hungarian ski instructors. Particularly popular are Kreischberg, Turracher Höhhe, Gerlitzen, Lachtal, and this season’s fashionable terrains Obertauern, Ischgl, Saalbach-H., Schladming and Kaprun-Zell am See.
This is how much an average Hungarian ski tourist spends
According to the head of the travel agency, the main season of the ski routes lasts from January 20 to February 24, at which time travelers can expect snow-sure slopes and the full range of available services. This season is preceded by a pre-season from the end of December to the beginning of January and ends with the long weekend in March.
Olasz Imola also reported that the first inquiries typically arrive at their offices in September, but as in the case of vacations, here we can also find passengers who plan in advance and leave at the last minute, so the booking period lasts from September to March.
Based on all the trips sold, the average basket value is around HUF 250,000/person, but if we look at the value of the trips that sold the most (in the largest number) (without the extreme values), it is around 1,000 euros.
However, the head of Invia in Szeged explained that not everyone spends a fortune on skiing: there is an offer (also the cheapest) which is a 5-night ski trip in Gerlitzen – for only 250 euros/person. In this regard, we also asked about the other end of the scale, the most expensive – also 5-night – offer Obertauern, Ischgl 1900 euros/person.
Aspen is one of the most well-known ski resorts in the world, where celebrities like to visit
There are also those who want to ski, who would go much further, here two more distant destinations stand out from the field, Hakuba (Japan) and Aspen (USA).
Almost all Hungarians take care of insurance
While skiing is great fun, there are many opportunities for injury. The most common skiing injuries include fractures, sprains, and bruises, but even more serious accidents such as spine or head injuries can occur. In such cases, the appropriate insurance not only covers the costs of the treatment, but also ensures the quick availability of medical help.
The insurance therefore provides serious financial protection, while ensuring that the skier, no matter what problems he experiences, the necessary medical care and rehabilitation will not be a matter of financial burden.
“We always recommend insurance for every trip, and fortunately, in the case of ski trips, a very large proportion of our passengers use this option: typically 99 percent of them use it, supplemented by liability insurance”
Olasz Imola told our newspaper.
In light of all this, it is strongly recommended to take out ski insurance for skiing, which provides much broader protection than a traditional travel insurance. Ski insurance not only covers accident medical costs, but also protects against loss, damage or theft of ski equipment. In addition, depending on the package, rescue by helicopter, medical transfer, and hospital costs are usually included in the package. Mountain rescue costs can be particularly high when skiing, and insurance ensures that you don’t have to cover the high prices out of pocket.
The seasons are getting shorter
Although skiing is extremely important economically, its environmental effects should not be ignored either. The construction and maintenance of the infrastructure necessary for skiing can impose a significant environmental burden, especially on the natural habitats of mountainous areas. Problems with melting snow as well as fossil fuel powered structures can contribute to global warming. Nevertheless, many ski regions are trying to find sustainable solutions, such as the use of renewable energy sources, the economical use of water and energy, and measures aimed at reducing the ecological footprint.
In connection with climate change, the melting of snow and the softening and shortening of winter are constant topics, but how does this affect the current ski seasons? Will locations disappear from the offer of travel agencies?
“In terms of the range of destinations, the change is not tangible for now, we do not see any major changes in the product base of the tour operators connected with us. On the other hand, the passengers’ time preferences clearly show that the snow-sure periods are shorter than before, so the season is also shorter every year.”
said the leader.
Source: www.economx.hu
