Kerry Baggott looks into how travel agents can have a successful run of this year's winter sports season

For travel agents hoping for a successful run this ski season, there's one magical ingredient that is ultimately more crucial than your selling skills — snow.

An absence of the white stuff in Europe last year put a complete dampener on the Alps, yet thanks to an insatiable appetite for the annual adrenaline rush the 2011/12 season is still forecast to see skiers hit the slopes in their hordes.

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The signs are already looking positive following the first heavy snowfall last month, thus perfecting those picture-postcard scenes. Indeed it is this ‘winter wonderland’ atmosphere that is the prime attraction for most Arabian travellers who crave the change of seasons and long to swap flip flops for boots — if only for one week a year.

Unlike their European counterparts, for GCC nationals skiing and winter sports are far from the top priority when it comes to a winter breaks. Instead they go to absorb the alpine scenery, marvel at the festive lights while scouring Christmas markets, dine in cosy restaurants and wander the cobbled streets of a mountain resort.

A growing market
While the European skiing market is inundated with specialist ski tour operators, here in the Middle East it’s very much a new and evolving one. “It was deemed very adventurous when we launched a ski brochure in the desert some six years ago,” says Marco Heinrich, regional manager – destination development, Europe and the Americas for Emirates Holidays. “Back then only around 5% of our skiing holiday clients were GCC nationals, now that is more like 20%.”

Much of this growth is down to the influence of the European expat community who have been exposed to skiing in or near their home countries. “Skiing is part of their culture and they travel in order to continue that tradition,” says Heinrich.

“Younger GCC nationals are now more adventurous and want to try their luck on the slopes; but on the whole the majority of Arabian travellers are seeking that romantic winter experience.”

In order to encompass all experiences, the new Emirates Holidays’ brochure is entitled Ski & Winter Holidays. Unlike in the UK, for example, where one can walk out of a travel agency armed with a sack load of skiing brochures, this Emirates brochure appears to be one of the only — if not the only — brochure in the region dedicated to ski and winter snow holidays.

It covers 18 destinations across six countries, from picturesque Kitzbuhel in Austria and the glamorous Swiss resort of St Moritz to the stunning Canadian scenery of Lake Louise and snow sure Park City in America’s Utah.

While Emirates Holidays caters to the five-star market, new package tour operator, Holiday Factory, claims to serve the mid market. “Skiing and winter snow holidays are not cheap and travellers from this region still want good value and are prepared to shop around for the best deal,” says Holiday Factory CEO Hakan Bakar.

Holiday Factory works with a number of airline partners and offers a choice of primarily three-star accommodation, thus making it highly price competitive. It features Austria and Switzerland on its website (www.holiday-factory.com).

Where to go
Both Heinrich from Emirates Holidays and Holiday Factory’s Bakar concur that Austria is the number one selling winter snow and ski destination — which comes as no surprise to director of the Austrian National Tourist Office (ANTO) Klaus Ehrenbrandtner.

“Most of those from this region who do take a winter snow holiday choose Austria because of its infrastructure and the fact that everything is so accessible. In just half an hour you can go from strolling around the Christmas markets to being on a horse and carriage ride in the mountains,” he says.

Austria’s popularity among visitors from the Middle East has quadrupled in the past ten years with the period from January to September 2011 proving to be a record year totaling 137,000 visitors from the Middle East.

The airline services reiterate Austria’s regional popularity with Emirates more than doubling its flights to Vienna this year to 13 per week, and Austrian Airlines flying daily from Dubai.

Ehrenbrandtner is confident that Austria’s statistics will finally overshadow Switzerland this year. Economics could well be to blame for this switch of allegiance since the weakening Euro means Austria is now comparatively cheaper than both France and Switzerland.

Value for money?
Regional tourism boards in Switzerland — such as Crans-Montana in the Valais region, are working hard to redress this balance with money saving incentives this year.

Aimed at GCC visitors, Crans-Montana Tourist Office and resort suppliers have designed what they call a “33 Carat” deal whereby visitors get a reduction of 33% off hotel accommodation, ski pass, ski hire and skiing lessons for four nights and three days skiing during periods up to early April 2012. In addition, retailers, restaurateurs and leisure providers will offer daily deals.

“This unprecedented move gives visitors 50% more purchasing power. This should be a major incentive for GCC and Middle Eastern tourists to come and have a great value stay in the Valais resort,” says Mona Faraj, managing partner of Insights Management Consultancy, which represents Crans-Montana in the Middle East.

Unlike operators in the UK who are currently offering a plethora of special offers to entice skiers, no such deals are being offered here by the Middle Eastern players. However, Holiday Factory’s Bakar advises that money can be saved by not necessarily opting for the proverbial five-stars.

“Personally, I always opt for the excellent three and four-star pensions in Austria and Switzerland. They are home from home and offer a very authentic experience,” he says. “The price difference is huge.”

As an example, he quotes a three-day stay at the Jagerwirt Hotel in Austria’s Kitzbuhel at the end of January from AED3,600 per person half board, including return flights with Austrian Airlines and transfers.

In comparison, Emirates Holidays offers a three-night stay at the Grand Spa Resort A-Rosa in the same resort at AED6,663 per person, half board, including return flights with Emirates and transfers.

For those for whom money is no object, North America will never disappoint. As well as being a better bet for snow than the Alps, the transatlantic resorts boast immaculate slopes, high safety standards, shorter lift queues and excellent accommodation.

Emirates Holidays features two resorts in both the US and Canada. “For those who have ticked off the European slopes and who are die-hard skiers, America or Canada are ideal,” says Heinrich. “The snow is like powder and the scenery spectacular.

However, you need to bear in mind that the flight time from the Middle East is 15 plus hours instead of five or six to a European resort. And of course the atmosphere is very different — you’ll be eating hotdogs and hamburgers instead of schnitzel and fondue.”

‘Niche’ appeal grows
Whether it is these culinary delights or the call of the slopes that appeal, Nathan Adams, manager of Dnata Holidays confirms that this "niche sector” is growing year-on-year.

“We have seen an increase in bookings [in ski holidays] year-on-year to the well-known resorts within Europe and North America. However, requests have also increased to destinations within MENA region, such as Lebanon, Turkey and Morocco,” says Adams.

This is good news for agents since this market is undoubtedly a lucrative one. “Prices tend to be higher than our regular holiday offerings at key destinations within Europe. In addition to arranging flights and accommodation we can also help clients with mountain ski passes, ski and boot hire and winter ski insurance,” says Adams.

“These elements add to the price of the total package”, making sales of winter snow holidays a good earner.

So while clients chase the snow, this is a prime opportunity for agents to chase those high-value sales. Let’s start praying to the snow gods that it will be a magical season for one and all.