Which winter sports area is cheaper this year? | Economy

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Many Dutch people will strap on their skis again in the coming months. Winter sports holidays are being booked in full, although popular ski areas have recently become much more expensive due to inflation, for example. In which countries is winter sports more expensive this year and which are not?

Although many people have less to spend, many winter sports holidays are booked. “The number of bookings in the Netherlands in the past three weeks was almost 20 percent higher than in the same period last year,” says a spokesperson for travel agency Sunweb.

“A lot is still being booked, especially for the upcoming spring break,” says a spokesperson for travel organization TUI. “When you look at destinations, Austria is by far the favorite among the Dutch, followed by France and Italy.”

Although Austria is still very popular, that country has become a lot more expensive for Dutch people in the past year. Inflation in Austria was much higher last year than in the Netherlands. In December it was almost 6 percent, while inflation in the Netherlands was only 1.2 percent.

“So if you have also gone skiing in Austria in previous years, you can assume that you will pay more for a beer on the slopes this year,” says Godard Strengers, currency specialist at the financial company Ebury.

France is also slightly more expensive this year. But according to Strengers, that doesn’t make much difference compared to the prices you saw on the slopes last year. In Italy, number three on the list of popular winter sports locations, you will actually get cheaper this year than in previous years.

Swiss franc and Polish zloty make for expensive holidays

A snow holiday in the Swiss Alps is always a bit more expensive than in other snow locations, but this year we have to dig even deeper into our pockets. Inflation in Switzerland is lower than in the Netherlands, but the Swiss franc has become considerably more expensive compared to the euro in the past two years. That makes the country at least 6 percent more expensive for winter sports enthusiasts than last year, says Strengers.

Poland is generally a cheap holiday destination for Dutch people. But prices there have also risen in the past year. Due to the more expensive Polish zloty, a ski trip in Poland easily costs 12 percent more than a year earlier, says the currency specialist.

The Czech Republic, like Italy, is also a lot cheaper than before. “That is also quite close,” says Strengers.