French Ski Resort Properties Popular This Ski Season

As the credit crunch continues to freeze global markets, people are holidaying closer to home; a new trend which had a hugely positive impact for French ski resorts over the festive period, with 75 per cent of all ski accommodation booked solid…

According to TravelMole, people are looking to avoid the pressures of the current economic crisis and save money by going for cheaper alternatives in 2009, with many planning to head to their closer European neighbours to provide a quality holiday on a tighter budget.

Arrival of annual snowfall at European ski destinations earlier than expected, drastically boosting buyers’ interest in ski properties upon  news of ski resorts opening their pistes in advance of the traditional ski season.

Ski chalets and resorts across France are said to be booming, despite the credit crunch, with millions of holidaymakers being lured by the exceptional conditions.

Now, the strong snowfall combined with the credit crunch has given the French ski resort properties a far more prosperous Christmas and New Year period than expected.

As the economic woes continue to rage on, many French locals chose to remain at home over the festive period, meaning that the vast majority of ski accommodation in the Alps, Pyrenees and other locations were choc-a-bloc.

More than 75 per cent of rental accommodation was occupied during the period, a study by market analyst firm Protourisme revealed.

Protourisme’s Manager Didier Arino said, “The Christmas figures were excellent and there is no doubt that the economic crisis is helping French vacation spots.

“The French are not going abroad as much,” he added.

If you own a property in a French ski resort, this new trend could bolster your home’s rental potential considerably.

It’s not just the French who are keen to rent a ski property in France. Recent research from the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) revealed that a whopping 1.3 million UK holidaymakers enjoyed winter sports trips last year, and that figure looks set to be smashed this year, with the French mountains being amongst the most popular slopes to take to.

News submitted by Jon Moore, The Move Channel

• Tweet