Ski holidays have become 33% more expensive over four years, but winter sports enthusiasts are still going

The average skiing holiday has become 33 per cent more expensive over the past four years. Nevertheless, winter sports enthusiasts continue to go on holiday, and there is no noticeable trend towards shorter trips or cheaper accommodation. This is according to a analysis based on price and booking data from the travel agency Summit Travel. The price rise does, however, appear to be easing this coming winter.

Anyone who went on a winter sports holiday through Summit Travel last winter paid an average of 984 euros per person for accommodation, a ski pass, equipment hire and lessons. Four years earlier, in the 2021–2022 season, that figure was 741 euros. That amount rose at almost the same rate as the average price of all accommodation. Winter sports enthusiasts are therefore booking the same type of holiday as before, but at a higher price.

As a result, a skiing holiday became about one and a half times as expensive as living in the Netherlands. During the same period, the price level rose according to the CBS by around 22 per cent. In Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland, the average holiday cost rose by almost the same amount, between 30 and 33 per cent.

The same stay costs a third more

The sharp rise in the cost of travel is mainly due to the prices of the accommodation itself. Summit Travel tracked the prices for the same weeks across a fixed, representative selection of frequently booked hotels and apartments. Between the 2021–2022 season and last winter, a week in mid-January became, on average, 33 per cent more expensive. The Christmas week, which is usually more expensive anyway, became 31 per cent more expensive.

Prices did not rise at the same rate every year. The biggest jump came in the winter of 2023–2024, when a stay during Christmas week became 12 per cent more expensive in a single season. Hotels and the hospitality sector in Austria faced higher costs for energy and procurement. The minimum wage in the sector also rose in May 2023 by an average of 9.3 per cent.

A week in the snow remains a regular fixture

The successive price rises prompted the travel company to investigate whether booking behaviour had changed. “When prices rose sharply, we wondered whether winter sports enthusiasts would turn away. Fortunately, that turned out not to be the case,” says Robert Flik, founder of Summit Travel. “We did, however, expect travellers to opt for shorter trips or choose cheaper accommodation. We haven’t seen that shift either.”

According to Flik, this is down to the importance that many people attach to their holidays. “Winter sports enthusiasts really value their week in the snow. For many people, it’s a fixed time of year, and they’re not likely to give that up.” In Austria too, where many Dutch people spend their winter holidays, there is no sign of a decline. According to provisional figures According to the Austrian statistics office, Statistik Austria, Dutch visitors accounted for almost 7 million overnight stays there last winter, 2 per cent more than the previous winter.

Save money by choosing a specific period or type of accommodation

If you want to save money, you’ll get the best value by choosing the right week. A stay around Christmas is, on average, 35 to 40 per cent more expensive than the same stay in mid-January. According to Flik, anyone who is tied to that period can save money by choosing a lesser-known village within the same ski resort or accommodation that is a little further from the slopes.

“The choice between a stay with or without meals also makes a difference to the total cost,” says Flik. “At a hotel offering half-board, breakfast and dinner are included. In an apartment or chalet, guests can cook for themselves. This can result in significant savings, particularly for groups.”

Price rises are set to level off this winter

Anyone planning to go on a skiing holiday this coming winter won’t be paying any less, but after four years of sharp rises, the rate of price increases does appear to be levelling off this coming winter. Accommodation prices in the first price lists for the 2026–2027 season are, on average, around 2.5 per cent higher than a year earlier. That is the smallest increase since records began. These are provisional prices; special offers and discounts may still change over the course of the season.

Wages in the Austrian hospitality sector are also rising at a slower rate than in previous years; since 1 October, the average increase has been 3 per cent. Ski passes will become 3.4 per cent more expensive on average this winter.

About the figures

The analysis is based on private bookings made with Summit Travel for the 2021–2022 to 2025–2026 seasons. The average holiday cost is the total amount booked per person, including a ski pass, ski hire and ski lessons. Differences between countries are linked to the type of accommodation and the range of options available.

For the price comparison, a fixed, representative selection of over 80 frequently booked accommodation options in Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland was monitored. In each case, the price of the same room was compared for a week in mid-January and for the Christmas week, in each instance for seven nights. The prices for 2026–2027 are taken from the initial price lists. Inflation is based on the Consumer Price Index published by Statistics Netherlands (CBS), using the annual averages for 2021 and 2025.