The Return to Ski: Winter Sports in a New Era

Club Med Ski Report 2021/22

Welcome to Club Med's ninth annual ski report, which seeks to examine the latest developments within the industry as we look ahead to the winter 2021/22 season.

The Return to Ski: Winter Sports in a New Era

“At the start of 2020, it would have been unimaginable to think that Brits are only just now able to think about heading back to the slopes as we approach winter 2021/22, following two seasons of disruption. Coming from the first signs of the global pandemic impacting the 2019/20 season, forcing it to end abruptly in March, to a season which never went ahead last year, we are confident and optimistic that the upcoming season will be bigger and better than ever as demand for missed ski holidays soars. We are however acutely aware that we need to continue to provide reassurance to customers as Covid-19 continues to affect the way in which people are thinking about winter sports holidays.”

Estelle Giraudeau
Managing Director, UK & Northern Europe at Club Med

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Health and Safety measures
While Brits are still intending to get away wherever possible, there are several in-resort health and safety measures which are still important factors when they are considering their next holiday. Interestingly, while these factors remain incredibly important, all figures show a year-on-year decline – perhaps as Brits grow in confidence with the vast majority of UK adults now double vaccinated. Safety precautions that Brits want to see in resorts include regular cleaning (41%, down from 50% in 2020), social distancing (41%, down from 60% in 2020), accessible hand sanitiser (39%, down from 47% in 2020), testing onsite (38%, down from 46% in 2020) and use of masks in public spaces (37%, down from 45% in 2020).

Cancellation and refunds
Over the past 18 months, millions of people across the UK had their holiday plans altered. For those who had been on a winter sports holiday in the past four years, over half (58%) had a trip cancelled due the pandemic. From this, three quarters (75%) chose to postpone their holiday to the following season. Of those polled, 21% received a Club Med Credit Note and a further 23% received a full refund. Offering a refundable stay, should a country’s status change to ‘red’ is crucial for Brits booking a holiday with 57% saying it was the single most important factor when choosing their travel provider.

Attracting new holidaymakers
It is evident to see how eager winter sports enthusiasts are to get back to the mountains, with almost half (46%) still wanting to go ahead with their ski holiday even if they had to quarantine on arrival back in the UK. Yet this year, this type of trip is also proving to be an incredibly attractive proposition for non-skiers, with 81% of first-time skiers choosing a winter sports holiday because their usual type of holiday isn't feasible due to Covid-19.

The impact of testing
Another fallout from Covid-19 has been the introduction of rigorous testing and the implications of this for international travel. More recently, high costs for testing coupled with various logistical implications has resulted in international holidays not being possible nor feasible for many, and the research revealed that 63% of UK adults delayed booking a holiday as they had been put off by this added financial pressure. It is therefore much welcomed news to hear lateral flow tests will replace expensive PCR tests for double-jabbed British travellers.

Brits turning their back on their usual winter sun trips
The global pandemic has led people to change their holiday preferences, with 62% of those questioned saying that this year will be their first ski or snowboarding holiday versus only 40% in 2020. Almost half of Brits (48%) are choosing to go on a winter sports holiday just to try something different and almost a quarter of Brits (24%) are people who usually go on a winter sun holiday but have changed their plans this year. One in five (22%) of those who are switching sun for snow said they would usually be trying a long haul break but are opting for a holiday closer to home this year.

The rise of last minute holidays
Brits have decided to hold out until the last minute to book a winter sports holiday - according to the research almost half are prepared to leave it a month in advance (46%), with one in five (20%) saying they will leave booking as late as just two weeks before the departure date. This is in stark contrast to 2019 when only 5% of people booked their winter sports holiday less than three months in advance.

Increased spend
Almost half (49%) of those polled are prepared to spend more on a winter sports holiday this year than previous years, perhaps to make up for lost time and missed holidays. Following trends in recent years, we are also anticipating an increase in customers booking onto more experiences to make the most of their holidays, and are opting for excursions and activities such as dog sledding, spa treatments and Nordic walking to name a few.

Choice of accommodation
In light of Covid-19 the type of accommodation people are looking at has changed. Over a third (35%) of those polled have changed their choice of accommodation, with self-catering proving to be the most popular option (41%) followed by an all-inclusive resort (28%) and catered chalets (27%).

Our commitments
Club Med are very conscious of the impact on the environment tourism has and our commitment is based on solid basis and proved by recognised certifications. Removal of single-use plastics in all resort bars and restaurants, Green Globe certifications for over 80% of our resorts and innovative partnerships with companies such as Solucycle to implement a sustainable system that turns waste into green energy or compost in our newest resort are all part of our efforts to provide the holidays our guests know and love, with a lower impact on the environment. Find out more about our Happy To Care sustainability and responsible tourism commitments and projects.

A growing concern
Over the last decade, discussion around climate change has shifted from speculation to a pressing concern for the travel industry and holidaymakers alike. Climate change is ever present in the news and the recent IPCC report made front pages around the world, declaring a ‘code red for humanity’, which surely contributed to the 42% surveyed who said they were currently reconsidering the type of holidays they take in light of the recent news around climate change.

Sustainability credentials to look for
Over half (55%) of those polled said they look at the sustainability credentials of the resort before booking their ski holiday, with the most important factors being: operator giving back to the local community (40%), sustainably sourced food (35%), single-use plastic free resort (35%) and food recycling programs (31%). When asked about what they think has the biggest impact on the environment when it comes to international holidays, respondents cited air pollution (51%), plastic waste (45%), food waste (37%) and energy consumption as the biggest culprits.

Flights alternatives
The other dominant force of the past year has of course been Covid-19, which has provided an opportunity for people to step back and assess their travel, where they are going, how they are getting there and how often they will go. Some of the changes in attitude and behaviour due to Covid-19 are safety-related, but they could still have a big (if unintentional) impact on sustainable holidays. As stated in the previous chapter, 44% said they are considering new destinations due to Covid-19 - and of those, 43% said they were doing so in order to avoid flying. Repeated behaviours have a tendency to become habit-forming so if safety concerns around flights persist, we could see the shift to other modes of transport becoming a permanent trend with an associated positive impact on the environment - following suit of other European countries such as Sweden and the Nordics more generally.

DISCOVER ALL PREVIOUS CLUB MED SKI REPORTS
Ski Report 2020 - Ski Report 2019 - Ski Report 2018 - Ski Report 2017 - Ski Report 2016 - Ski Report 2015 - Ski Report 2014 - Ski Report 2013