It's almost time for the kids to go back to school and you're suddenly faced with having loads of time on your hands. Before you know it you're on a ski holiday website. How did that happen? Well, since you're here, you might as well book already, right? Is it a good idea to book your ski holidays this early?
Are you restricted to travelling during the school holidays? It might be a good idea to snatch up a spot with your favourite tour operator before they're all booked up. Right now there's plenty of choice, even in the most popular ski areas. It's the perfect opportunity to try visiting a place you've never been before, or to snag your favourite hotel before it fills up.
Booking now means you have months to look forward to your trip. The anticipation might kill you... or it might sustain you through all those boring business meetings! It gives you an excuse to start ogling new skis, keeping an eye on this year's ski clothing, start planning great routes in your chosen ski area, etc. etc. You'll wake up happy every day just from sheer excitement!
Booking your ski holiday now means you can keep an eye out for the best early-bird deals. This is when many tour operators start gearing up for winter with attractive offers that can save you a bundle of money.
It's an amazing feeling to have your ski holiday all booked and ready, but it also sets you up for failure. What if you split up with your significant other, or fall out with your friends, or get into financial trouble? It can even be something unexpected but good - what if you find out your favourite artist is playing a concert on the very weekend you were supposed to be in the Alps? It's simply difficult to plan that far ahead, and travel cancellation insurance doesn't cover every eventuality.
Last-minute booking has the major advantage of giving you time to plan your trip according to the weather forecast. When you book early, you're taking the chance on snow cover. Granted, booking a trip in January usually guarantees snow on the slopes, but as we've seen in the last few years, that's not always the case anymore. To get around this problem, you might consider booking a trip at a high-altitude ski area or a glacier.
Some tour operators ask for part or all of the sum up front, so prepare to fork out your money! You were going to have to pay it sooner or later anyway, but the end of the summer holidays isn't usually when people are most flush with cash.
Born and raised in the ski paradise of Vancouver, Canada, I learned to ski before I can remember, balancing precariously on my parents’ skis as they sailed down the hill. I started snowboarding in my teens and am now delighted to be exploring everything Europe’s ski scene has to offer!
