Cheap ski holidays as price war breaks out

Ski resort tour operators are cutting prices to resorts in Alpine regions partly due to lack of snow, and also due to cheaper competition from up and coming resorts in Bulgaria.

Holidays over Christmas and the New Year are being cut dramatically as ski holidays in Bulgaria become more popular due to their more economical appeal.

A recent price survey by Post Office Travel Money claimed that a week's ski holiday for a family of four, including all the usual hiring costs, costs around £800.

Other low cost options included resorts in Slovenia, with Switzerland and the USA proving to be among the most expensive. However, many of these expensive rates relatively well discounted compared with previous years.

"This year's report revealed welcome news for cash-conscious family skiers. We found good examples of price cuts in most of the resorts surveyed - especially in North America." said the head of Post Office Travel Money, Sarah Munro.

France has always been the most popular destination for British ski fans but according to the Ski Club of Great Britain its market share has dropped to its lowest point since 2005, currently claiming 38% of the market.

This reflects a slump in consumer demand due to the European economic climate, which has led to panic amongst the tour operators, and bargains to be found.

The current lack of snow in Swiss resorts is also adding to the problem, along with the problem of a strong Swiss franc making the country more unaffordable to some visitors. However many are resorting to using snow-cannons to blast the slopes with fresh man-made snow.

Main photograph: Borovets ski resort, Bulgaria  (DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP/Getty Images)