Ski vacations in the United States are in less demand

Travelers looking to head to the United States this winter for a ski vacation are fewer than in previous years.  Some industry experts are blaming rising fuel costs for the hesitation.  It is also noted that additional surcharges tacked onto flights are also causing tickets to become unaffordable for many.

The Crystal Ski Industry Report for the 2007-2008 winter said “The North American market remained static despite another season of positive snow reports and the weakness of the dollar. North America may face similar challenges for 2008-9 with capacity constraints on flights and potentially further rises in the cost of transatlantic travel deterring passengers.”

The managing director of Ski Independence located in Edinburgh, Scotland, Michael Bennett, said “It would appear that increases in fuel surcharges are dampening demand for North American ski holidays although it’s still relatively early days. Immigration isn’t a factor in my view, although the new rules may come into play as they become more widely known.”

Bennett also commented that “As I understand it, the airlines have seen North American demand softening, so I’d expect tactical offers and discounts to come into play in the autumn which should help to get prices back on track. We’ve now had confirmation that there are some exceptional tactical fares to the U.S. on sale, with Canadian fares to follow. Looking at the new fares, we’re very confident the reductions will re-stimulate the market and we expect strong demand from this point on,”

www.ski-i.com