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.

A wide range of ski resorts in the US and in Canada are available for the skiing fraternity - but for skiing it’s really quality that counts, and North America scores high on this count too.

According to a recent poll, the top 10 ski resorts in the world are: Aspen, Colorado; Cortina, Italy; Mont-Tremblant, Ontario; Stowe, Vermont; Chamonix Mont-Blanc, France; Banff, Canada; Vail, Colorado; Zermatt, Switzerland; Kitzbuhel, Austria; and Whistler, British Columbia - North America and Europe dominate the list of favourites.

Such a wide array of top-notch ski destinations is difficult to compete with. Reaching a position on the top-10 list is a feat in itself. Skiers from around the globe gave their input on these highly sought-after destinations. Six of the 10 are located in North America.

Aspen, Colorado has always been well-known as a top ski spot for the rich and famous. As new resorts open world-wide, Aspen remains one of the most visited resorts in the United States. It offers a variety of runs ranging in difficulty from beginner to expert. Hundreds of acres of terrain offer something for everyone.

Mont-Tremblant, Quebec opened in 1939 and was the second resort to open in North America. It was the first resort to open in Canada. Mont-Tremblant is only an hour away from Montreal, making it a great daytime or weekend getaway for anyone looking to escape the nine-to-five. One of the most charming aspects of a Mon-Tremblant ski holiday is the fact that the streets in the village have a pedestrian-only layout. Visitors can park their vehicle for the entire duration of their ski holidays if they wish.

One of the most picturesque resorts in the United States is Stowe ski resort in Vermont. Stowe ranks number seven on the top-10 list. It boasts the longest vertical drop in the area. Conveniently located in Vermont, Stowe offers two ski areas; Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak. Spruce Peak backs up to Smugglers’ Notch’s terrain and features a unique lift-link to both resorts.

Banff, or Lake Louise, in Alberta Canada ranks number five on the top-10 list. The mountains around Lake Louise are some of the most scenic mountains in the world. The three different ski areas, Mystic Ridge, Sunshine Village and Lake Louise are roughly 31 miles apart. The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise was also recently voted a must-stay resort in a popular men’s magazine.

Another great Colorado based resort is Vail. Vail offers about 5,300 acres of terrain ranging from beginner to expert. It is also home to the fastest high-speed detachable quads on one mountain. Skiing, along with museums, art galleries, dog sledding, hockey and other attractions make Vail an excellent family ski location. There is always something for everyone to do.

Whistler Blackcomb, another North American resort, is ranked number one on the top-10 list. According to the poll, Whistler Blackcomb provides the best skiing in North America. It also provides the biggest vertical drop of any slope in North America. This revelation comes as no surprise to skiers who have enjoyed Whistler’s beauty and slopes for years. Crystal Lodge and Summit Lodge and Spa were voted must-stay resorts in the Lake Louise area.

The top-10 report states that Whistler has everything it takes to make a legendary resort. The resort offers over 100 restaurants to suit all tastes, cafes, international stores and rentals. Over the last 10 years, Whistler has been nominated for ‘World’s Greatest Ski Resort’ and has held the title for ‘Best North American Ski Resort’ by North Americans. It has been deemed the favorite international destination by Japanese skiers.

The popularity and the quality of the ski resorts are borne out by the number of Europeans who fly to the US and Canada each year for a week or two’s ski vacation.

A little known competition that began between a handful of ski resorts has made its way to North America’s ski resorts. Resort owners and their marketing teams have created a bit of competition among the world’s ski resorts. The first competition of the year is quickly becoming one to see who is ready to open first.

Resort employees focus on quality work and snowmaking as a priority. The first ski area openings always generate a lot of buzz around the winter sport loving community.

Which North American ski resort was the first to open for the 2008-2009 ski season? Arapahoe Basin and Loveland, both in Colorado, had been in close competition for several weeks. Each resort was preparing to open their doors before the other.

And the North American Winner Is…

On October 15, 2008 both resorts opened on the same date and time. Early in the week Arapahoe Basin stated they would open on October 15 at 9 a.m. Mountain time. Loveland was also prepared to open and stated they would continue the race and open 30 minutes earlier at 8:30 a.m. Mountain time. Both resorts decided to call it a tie and open at the same time.

Several nights provided perfect below-freezing temperatures to start the snowmakers and a good base for the rest of the winter. “We’re all very excited. We’re champing at the bit,” said spokeswoman Leigh Hierholzer.

Just days before the competition ended, Loveland’s marketing and communications manager, Kathryn Johnson said, “We’re getting close. We have been making snow for two weeks now, but right now we don’t have our 18-inch base.”

Representatives of each resort admitted having a specific strategy and driving past the other to see progress. Kimberly Trembearth, marketing and interactive coordinator for Arapahoe Basin, said, “We might drive over the pass and have a look at what (Loveland) is doing.” John Sellers, director of marketing for Loveland, shared a similar poker strategy, “I may drive over (Loveland) pass instead of taking the Eisenhower tunnel home… just to see what sort of activity A-Basin is up to.”

John Sellers agreed with the statement by Kimberly Trembearth, “It just comes down to temperature, We can’t control mother nature. We open when we can and only when we can offer the best conditions for boarders and skiers. If we happen to be first, all the better.” Neither ski area was willing to sacrifice the experience of their first skiers of the season by opening prematurely.

Other Colorado resorts that depend primarily on pre-booked ski holidays traffic have set opening dates. Dates are as follows:

* Aspen: November 22

* Breckenridge: November 9

* Copper Mountain: November 2

* Steamboat: November 21

* Telluride: November 22

* Vail: November 16

* Winter Park: November 14

Other Areas Promoting the Race to Open

Several resorts in Nevada, Canada and the East Coast are planning to open at various times in October. The races to open are highly anticipated and always considered a friendly competition. Each resort focuses on the ability to lay a good base of snow before calling success. Of course higher-elevation resorts often finish first.

Early season snow in the Alps could give some French ski holiday resorts an advantage over their counterparts. Resorts located high in the Alps and Pyrenees Mountains are making plans to open earlier than normal, but it has not been determined if they will open in October or early November. The ski resort race to open competition has been an invigorating opening for the 2008-2009 ski season in North America.