Could 2011 be the first time you’ve been on a ski holiday?

The News Of the World had a good article recently which might be of help:

Skiing? Pah! Why would anyone want to go to a place colder than the UK? And surely strapping plastic to your feet and throwing yourself down a mountain is bonkers? This had been my point of view until, during a Pinot Grigio-fuelled night with a ski-instructor friend, I agreed to hit the slopes in Verbier, Switzerland, and report back to the Fabulous office. I spent the next six months fretting about what I’d wear, how I’d cope and whether I’d come back alive. And if I’d known the answers to these questions beforehand, I’d have piste off years ago! It was brilliant. Here’s why you should embrace skiing too…

WHY GO?

Quite simply, it’s so much fun that the muscles in your face will hurt from your perma-grin. But don’t be fooled - learning to ski is challenging, too. It’s tough on a beginner’s legs: calves ache from tight ski boots and thighs get sore from the stance needed to fly down the slopes. It’s mentally tough as well. It takes a lot of guts, but nothing beats the feeling of conquering those slopes!

DO I NEED TO BE FIT?

The better shape you’re in, the easier you’ll find it. Running and cycling before you go will increase your stamina, while doing squats and leg lifts will build up your muscles.

WHAT DO I NEED?

For your first time, borrow clothes from friends, hire from stores in your resort, or rent kit from Skitogshire.co.uk before you travel. You’ll deffo need a waterproof jacket and a pair of ski holiday trousers, known as salopettes. You can wear the same outer layer every day, but you’ll need a selection of T-shirts, long-sleeved tops and thermals for underneath. Pack a fleece, and don’t even think about leaving the country for Swiss ski holidays without gloves, thermal socks, hat, goggles and sunglasses. When you’re not skiing you’ll need waterproof footwear with a good grip - trust me, forget heels. They may look smokin’ but you won’t look hot when you slip and get run over by a snow plough. I’ll admit, I packed a few 6-inchers - but soon realised the error of my ways!

SKIS OR BOARD?

In most cases complete novices will enjoy learning to ski rather than snowboarding. Frequent falls during boarding can be tough on your bum and most people tend to quickly improve when on skis. When it comes to equipment, don’t splash out before you get there - hire it at your resort. Prices vary, so do your research, and be prepared to pay deposits or leave your credit card details in case you cause any damage.

WILL I NEED LESSONS?

As a total novice, I needed help! My package included two days’ instruction so I spent my first morning with Julie Fletcher, chief instructor with tour operator Bramble Ski. This gave me the basics, but keen to learn more, later in the week I booked some one-on-one sessions with Nicol Kindness from Performance Verbier Ski School. At £170 for a two-hour lesson, it was pricey, but his expert tuition saw me skiing down the hardest runs by the end of the week! Those on a budget can opt for group lessons, which cost from £30 per person for up to six people for three hours.

WILL I FALL IN LOVE WITH MY HUNKY INSTRUCTOR?

You’re likely to develop a big crush on your teacher. Be warned!

WILL I MAKE A FOOL OF MYSELF?

Definitely, but any embarrassing moments will be quickly forgotten once you perfect a turn or learn a new move. Style-wise, beware hat hair. And it may be freezing, but you still need a good SPF. Sunglasses marks in February = silly.

WHAT ABOUT THE APRES SKI?

Many head for the bars as early as 4pm, and it’s common to see people in full skiwear drinking until gone midnight. Remember that boozing at high altitude means you get tipsy faster than usual - so watch out!

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?

Prices vary depending on where and when you go. I stayed at the Victoria I chalet in Verbier, Switzerland, courtesy of Bramble Ski (Brambleski.com). Prices start from £1,200 per person for one week, including meals and two days of ski instruction, based on 10 people sharing. Inghams (Inghams.co.uk) offers a less-pricey option - seven nights in a catered chalet, including flights and transfers, from £481 per person. Try also Crystal Ski.

THE BEST RESORTS FOR VIRGIN SKIIERS
Switzerland - Wengen
French ski holidays - Les Arcs
Austria - Mayrhofen
Andorra - Soldeu

Andorra Blog

October through to might mean looking forward to Christmas for the vast majority of the population, but it’s an important time for skiers, as the 2011 season draws nearer.

And for those considering ski holidays Andorra is a great destination, with first class slopes and an infrastructure to match.

There are different areas to ski in Andorra, and they are:

Arinsal and Pal - now a single resort linked by cable car. One ski pass allows skiers to venture onto either set of slopes. In effect, wherever you are staying at the resort, you can ski from your backyard right onto the slopes. Snowboarders will also feel quite comfortable whether they are beginners or experienced.

Pas de la Casa is also close by but tends to be more crowded. However, it does offer very good value if that is the major criteria in selecting a resort.

With its numerous cafes, restaurants, happy hours and discos, Pas de la Casa tends to attract the livelier young adult crowd. Travel offers often feature the resort for a cheap ski holiday, and there are regular buses to and from the capital la Vella for those who want to do some duty free shopping during their trip.

Perhaps the best known resort is Soldeu. It has a mix of accommodation but has the best hotel for skiers, the Sports Hermitage, and first class ski slopes. An excellent mix.

It’s also perfectly possible to have a twin centre trip, with both Andorra and French ski holidays. Some areas good in France include:

Nestled atop a magnificent glacier on Mt. Bellecote is the world-class ski area of La Plagne. Surrounded by the majestic Vanoise Massif Mountains in the Graian Alps, La Plagne resort beckons the avid skier. It is spread over an altitude of 1250 to 3250 meters. The result is a variety of terrains and altitudes appealing to beginners and French ski holiday experts alike.

The resort was built in 1961 with the hope of attracting tourism dollars. It was largely conceived in the interest of four small mountain villages. The fledgling towns were dying and hoped to capitalize on the gorgeous natural beauty of the area and appeal to people who like a French ski holiday.

Today’s La Plagne is comprised of many different and distinctive villages. All are linked to one another by ski lifts and trails for those who prefer cross-country skiing. The villages continue to expand, giving it a competitive edge when it comes to tourism revenue.

Even the non-skier will find something to love about La Plagne. Non-skiers may choose from over 50 pubs and restaurants ranging from casual to fine dining. After dark visitors can hit one of the resort’s many night clubs for an evening of dancing and partying. Numerous daytime activities entertain and engage those who choose not to ski as well. Winter sport activities include ice skating, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing.

La Grave is a commune in southeastern France and the location of La Meije. Three summits comprise La Meije with the highest summit being 3,984 m. Mountain climbers and rock climbers challenge themselves to reach the highest summit of La Meije. The very first successful climb was by Emmanuel Boileau de Castelneu and Pierre Gaspard and his son on August 16, 1877. Glacier climbing or ice climbing is a very popular sport in La Grave as well. One hundred to 300 metre climbing routes offer a variety of difficulty.

Much of the La Grave la Meije ski area is glacier and considered dangerous. Guided skiing is recommended. Extreme skiers find a great deal of fascination and appeal in La Grave la Meije due to the enormous vertical drops and extreme ski conditions. The largest vertical descent can be extended to 2,300 m when skiers go past the resort to the road.

Located in the Belleville Valley, Les Menuires resort hosted the 1992 Winter Olympics. It is part of the largest ski area in the world, Les Trois Valleys.

The Three Valleys are comprised of several resorts that host millions of skiers per year - Thomson Ski for example include it in their brochures. Les Menuires has 62 ski trails, advanced and beginner slopes and 39 lifts. The resort’s 48 restaurants offer foods ranging from fast food to fine cuisine.

To see independent comments from those who have visited these areas follow them on myspace

Majorca

Often family holidays can centre around the beach, and finding a good one near to your hotel or villa is an important part of having a good time - and getting it wrong can mean the whole trip is a bad experience.

Majorca Blog

So where are the good beaches in destinations ideal for a family holiday?

For Majorca, the most popular European vacation island, the answer is Playa de Muro, according to a recent leading quality British newspaper’s travel section.

Playa de Muro is located in the north of the island when looking at a map of Majorca, and the closest holiday resort is Alcudia, popular with both German and British tourists.

The travel section reports that the goldensands are ‘never ending’ and that the beach has earned Blue Flag status, with a number of good hotels located along the beach, offering a good choice for those wanting to be near a beach and searching the internet for Majorca hotels.
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They advise that you can wade out quite a long way in the clear water before getting out of your depth, so this is a great option if you have small children. You can hire a pedalo, try all sorts of watersports or take a boat trip.

It’s often a bit breezy, so good for kiting too. If you need a bit of peace and quiet while enjoying the great weather in Majorca. Paths lead to the Albufera nature reserve, which is the largest wetland area on the island.

There is no shortage of bars and restaurants according to the report, whether you want paella, patatas bravas or pizza. If you walk along far enough, there are quieter parts of the beach with picnic areas in the shade of the trees by the dunes.

And for those about to go on their holidays in Majorca they even give some advice about how to find Playa de Muro:

From Alcudia, drive along the bay, past the S’Albufera Nature Park. There are lots of free places to park. You can also get there by bus.

Internet versions of national newspapers are a rich source of good information for tourists to read about destinations - The Daily Telegraph in the UK being one example of quality journalism. In Europe and North America travel journalists write about diverse but related travel topics, and subscribing to them is money well spent, but many are still freely available. Social media also has independent reviews, such as Yahoo Buzz.

More information about the islands and photographs of Playa de Muro are available at yourmajorca.net

Skirebel report that Crystal Ski have launched their 2011 brochure, and one new product is Freeski camps - they report:

Crystal Ski is also introducing ‘Freeski Gromcamps’ in selected European resorts. These camps are for all ages and standards of skiers, from first time freestylers to pro riders, expertly taught by the UK’s top riders and coaches including Pat Sharples, a former England freestyle ski team captain.

More of the popular Crystal Ski Plus all-inclusive packages will be offered including flights, transfers, local lift pass, ski/board hire or ski carriage, self-catering and in-resort service from £389 (€436) per person for a five night stay. They’re valid for departures during non-peak times to the top resorts including Les Arcs and La Plagne in the Paradiski and availability is limited so booking a year ahead at a fixed price is a good way to budget. To read the full article click here

For more details of Crystal Ski visit http://www.yourandorra.com/crystal - ski holidays in Andorra are available, plus French ski holiday information.

The number of people taking ski holidays last year dropped by 6 per cent last year.

breakingtravelnews reports:

The UK snowsports market fell by 6% across all sectors in 2008/9 according to the Ski Club of Great Britain’s annual Snowsports Analysis report. The total UK snowsports market is now reported at 1.27 million people.

The decline in overall numbers can be attributed to the economic climate and the weak pound, although the report suggests that the excellent snow conditions may have influenced more people not to forego their wintersports holiday. Additionally the report discusses a returning confidence to the industry and last season’s great snow acting as a catalyst for more people to start skiing again or go for the first time.

A 2% rise in the tour operator market means it now makes up 79% of the overall market. This increase is at the expense of the independent sector, which now sits at 21%. It seems more skiers favoured a package holiday as this enabled them to know the upfront cost of their holiday. The increased cost of flying at peak times with no-frills airlines, and ski carriage charges, may also have impacted the independent market. To read the report click here

For more information about ski holidays including with Crystal Ski visit yourandorra.com

The Andorra ski resort of Soldeu is one of the top ski resorts when it comes to value for money, recent research shows.

The village is hoping that more people will visit for their 2010 ski holidays including those who often take French ski holidays

After experiencing a drop of 13 per cent in visitors last year, the ski holidays industry will be hoping that 2009/10 will see a pick up as skiers start booking again.

Fortune is on their side at least - early snow saw some of the Colorado resorts open in early October - the earliest for 40 years - and In Europe the Pyrenees had high snowfall in early November - benefitting both French ski holidays and Andorra.

But while the weather may be on the industry’s side, the long, deep recession in both Europe and Northern America casts doubts over their 2010 aspirations.

For many people ski holidays are a luxury item, while the family summer vacation is seen as much more of an essential item for expenditure, and while economies are coming out of recession many people have concerns about their own job security or the state of their business, and might hold back this year until they are confident of the future.

This is particularly relevant for the skiing industry - the recession was caused by a banking crisis and a disproportionate number of people who took skiing holidays in recent years worked in the banking and finance industries - often spending between four and eight thousand Euros on the trip and spending freely while in the resorts during their French ski holidays, in Andorra, Switzerland, Colorado and Canada.

And the lack of free spending Brits compared to recent years will be noticeable, and keenly felt in the upmarket Aspen and Swiss ski holidays resorts, as London and New York’s economies were impacted most by the financial crises sparked off by the failures of investment banks.

Normal spend level tourists from Britain will be thinner on the ground too not just because of their economy, but many of the European ski resorts are in the Eurozone, and Sterling has crashed against the Euro, with the cost of Italian, Andorra and French ski holidays costing more for British skiers once they are in their resorts, unless they opt for an all inclusive package from comapnes who offer them.

So if there is optimism, where are the people coming from who will be taking ski holidays this year?

In Europe’s case it will be from countries who have the Euro, and who won’t be impacted by currency fluctuations.

And that will be mainly Germany, whose economy has grown in the last two quarters, and is firmly out of recession, while France might see a good number of people taking domestic ski holidays in France.

For Andorra, their economy is one that doesn’t rely purely on skiing, although tourism is an important aspect. As a tax haven a good number of people are employed in the finance and banking industries, and as the Andorra banks are independent the recession was felt less there than many other areas.

Property in Andorra hasn’t dropped as much as other European countries either as it not only has a local market but also sees people taking Andorra residency, who look at the houses and Andorra apartments for sale.

Time will tell if the optimism in the ski holidays industry is misplaced, or if 2010 proves to be a turning point.

More information about Andorra is available with yourandorra.com - they also have a blog with some travel articles available.

Andorra

Skiing is the most obvious sport Andorra is associated with, and not many would consider golf as something else on offer too, considering the country is high in the Pyreenees. But now Andorra has opened Europe’s highest golf course - a challenge many golfers will enjoy.

The neww golf course in Andorra is Grandvalira Golf Soldeu  located in Pla d’ Espiolets. Reachable by an eight passenger cable car, it is Europe’s highest elevated golf course at 2,590 metres (2,850 yards) high. The nine hole course is surrounded by the natural beauty of the mountains, creating a unique setting.

The Pyrenees Mountains make a beautiful backdrop for the new golf course. The scenic area has flowing waterfalls, interesting semicircle cliffs, wooded areas, great elevation, metallic ores, stratified rock, wildlife, mineral springs and hot springs. Though it makes a great place for a ski resort, it is also a peaceful place to be when the sun is shining and a warm breeze is in the air. Now holidaymakers can experience an Andorra that caters for golf as well as ski holidays.

The Planning of Grandvalira Golf Soldeu

Planning the location of the new golf course wasn’t easy. It took four years and 3 million euros to plan. The idea was to carefully embed the golf course in the natural environment of the Pyrenees Mountains without disturbing its surroundings. British expert Jeremy Pern led the project. He is famous for his work in designing golf courses.

Building the highest elevated golf course became a labour of love. It is a unique experience for golfers, since it is the only golf course that requires a ride in a cable car to access it. Aside from planning how to get tourists to and from the golf course, a lot of time was devoted to the project. Other time consuming details included construction, greens, planting trees, sodding grass, figuring out how to keep the grass lush, shaping the course and figuring out how to carefully weave the holes among the mountains without disrupting the balance of nature.

Boosting Tourism in Andorra

Andorra is mainly dependent on tourism for its economy to survive. The area brings in more than 9 million visitors per year, mainly for her ski resorts, but there is more to Andorra than the snow capped mountains. Did you know for example that Andorra also offers things to do in the summer months? Aside from skiing and snowboarding, holidaymakers enjoy the hiking trails, mountain biking, helicopter rides, para-gliding, trout fishing, bird watching and horseback riding to name a few.

Finding ways to bring holidaymakers to Andorra in the summer months is one way to build tourism, and golf may be part of the answer. According to the International Association of Golf Tour Operators, golf tourism is worth $17 billion globally. The U.S. is the current leader in the industry, but the UK also cashes in on golf tourism.

Golfers on holiday spend money, not only on the golf course, but also in the surrounding areas, at local attractions, at restaurants, at hotels, on transportation and on shopping. Package deals often include entrance to the golf course, airfare and hotel accommodation. All of which Andorra can offer.

The addition of the highest elevated golf course promises to bring added tourism to Andorra. Grandvalira Golf Soldeu is expected to host renowned golf tournaments throughout the season. It is also offering lessons, rental equipment, a driving range, a practice area and a clubhouse designed for social gatherings.

Golf tourism is expected to bring in extra revenue for Andorra with the opening of Grandvalira Golf Soldeu. While some golfers travel exclusively for specific golf courses or tournaments, others plan their holidays around such events, thus spending more money and staying for an extended period of time. Bringing a high elevation golf course to Andorra is a smart way to maximize the use of the land while attracting tourists on a year-round basis - smart thinking in today’s economy when people are cutting back on holiday spending.

More news about Andorra including skiing - French ski holidays too - is available at yourandorra.com

For Andorra properties and residency visit propertyandorra.com

The majority of people who visit Andorra access via Barcelona.

If you have time on your hands a day or two in Barcelona can be good if you haven’t been before.

Barcelona has once again been chosen as the site for a well known British travel agent conference (ABTA), so if travel agents choose Barcelona there’s got to be something going for the city…

It will be the fourth time the event has taken place in the city. Regularly held over three days in October, it is an important event in the world of travel. Event organisers say that smaller, more localised travel agent conferences will be held for this organization for those who cannot attend due to the recent decline in the economy and the lower conversion rates of the British pound to the euro.

Barcelona offers weekend getaways for those attending travel agent conferences and for others who are merely seeking a weekend away from their daily routines. It is a locale for famous conventions and great holidays alike.

Barcelona History

Barcelona, Spain is an ideal place to escape for a great weekend. Visitors can take in the best of the ancient city without needing to plan holidays time away from work and other responsibilities.

The local climate is moderate throughout the year. The atmosphere offers a friendly welcome to all who visit the area. It is an ideal place to escape the clutches of the harsh winter of other areas around the globe.

The fascinating combination of old and new brings the ancient treasures of Barcelona’s rich history into the modern age as it intermingles with the mysteries of the future. An ideal way to enjoy a great trip is to weave through the maze of narrow streets in the older part of the city for a day. Then, visit the more modern parts of the city that have been brought into the present times.

Old winding streets boast ancient stone fountains and masterpieces created on the ceilings of ancient churches by artistic giants like Picasso. Newer parts of the city boast the effects of the modernist movement that began during the 19th century. Modernistic masterpieces in the form of statues and buildings inspire awe in visitors. Shady parks and calm shorelines of the local beaches offer a quiet escape from the busy city. Marinas are packed with bars and restaurants that feature artistic cocktails and tantalising dishes made with fresh seafood.

Travel to Barcelona

Whether attending the latest travel agent conference or enjoying a great weekend destination, flights to Barcelona are generally easy to obtain at a relatively inexpensive rate and  hotels in Barcelona are plentiful. The summer months tend to bring the heaviest travel season, so planning ahead may be necessary during this time.

Regulations tend to change frequently, so it is recommended that you obtain the latest information concerning visa and passport travel regulations if you live outisde the EU. It is relatively easy for most tourists to obtain the proper travel papers in order to visit Spain.

Barcelona Attractions

It may not be possible to see everything you want to in a single weekend visit to Barcelona. However, you will surely be able to tap into the culture that is the basis for such a great vacation destination. The best method of visiting and enjoying the sites is to determine which areas and places you most want to experience. Enjoy these attractions first. Then fill the rest of your time, if any, with other interests you may come across in your travels and conversations with the local citizens.

Be sure to avoided wearing yourself out too early in the day. The Barcelona night life is an exceptional element of making this a great vacation destination. The magical nights of the city bring the local flavour to life. Flamenco dancers, street concerts and sidewalk theaters abound all over the city. It is said that Barcelona vibrates with enthusiastic life and the city never sleeps.

You will likely be planning a return visit long before the excitement of your most recent experience has waned. For travel agents seeking a memorable conference experience and visitors wanting to plan a great vacation for even a weekend, Barcelona, Spain offers the best of the ancient and modern worlds for you to discover and cherish at your own pace, however long you are visiting for.

The Novatel bus runs from Barcelona Airport to Andorra la Vella, the capital of Andorra

See http://www.yourandorra.com/airport for more details.

We came across a really good article by Charles Starmer-Smith in The Daily Telegraph - Charles wrote:

“Campervan… skiing… Alps.” I typed in the words and pressed the search button.

“No. You will die,” said the first link I opened.

Die? The advice on the Snowheads message board, an online forum for skiers, stopped me in my tracks. I knew taking a campervan to the Alps might not be the smartest idea – the lack of comfort, unpleasant odours, even mild hypothermia, I was prepared for – but I did not think my mortality would come into the equation.

But the warning needs context – the advice was to a girl panicking about her penny-pinching boyfriend’s plans to take her away in a campervan without any heating for a romantic week’s skiing. Some users of the site offered advice on portable heaters, van upgrades and suitable campsites; one wisecracker simply suggested she should upgrade the boyfriend rather than the van. It was a good point.

With 1.5 million Britons skiing each year it is no longer an elitist sport – but there are fears it could go back to being one. As the pound reaches record lows against the euro and falls sharply against the US and Canadian dollars and the Swiss franc, resorts are in danger of pricing many people out. Tour operators privately admit that were it not for the recent heavy snow this season might have been a disaster.

The customary cost-cutting advice no longer holds. Self-catering, once a byword for holiday frugality, is becoming prohibitively expensive for Britons as supermarkets raise prices. Earlier this month, we reported in Telegraph Travel that a small jar of pesto sauce was selling for £5 in Val d’Isère and a bottle of digestible wine for £14. Over in Courchevel, a beer on the slopes can now cost £12 and a hot dog, £15.

Once considered a luxury, catered chalets and full-board hotels (where prices are fixed) now make more financial sense. So what of the alternatives? Low-cost airlines profess to be the answer for credit-crunch skiers, yet they continue to penalise those who carry luggage or ski equipment (checking in a bag and taking your skis on Ryanair now costs £100 for a return flight). Resort transfers are increasingly expensive, and while the Eurostar snow train may be convenient for France’s leading resorts, at a minimum of £189 return the fares are steep. Even the cheapest hostels charge £100 for a week in a shared dormitory.

For many, the cost-cutting measures need to be more drastic.

With this in mind, I returned to the search results and found Just Go, an Anglo-New Zealand campervan hire company based in Flamstead, Hertfordshire. Its affable owner, Nick Roach, assured me that winter camping was not just the preserve of dope-smoking students and ski bums but the answer for those with a limited budget and a limitless desire to ski in Europe’s best resorts. He added that forward bookings had risen by as much as 300 per cent this season.

“Beyond the money you save, these vans offer a freedom that other ski holidays can’t,” he said. “If the snow is good elsewhere, you have the flexibility to move quickly in order to get the best conditions.”

But is a camping ski holiday really a viable budget option, or a case of cost-cutting gone mad? I had plenty of time to mull it over.

I had persuaded three friends to accompany me. Where? We plumped for St Anton am Arlberg: it offers great skiing but at more affordable prices than its main Swiss and French rivals

to carry on reading this article click through to the Telegraph, by clicking here