Mtn’s Ski Industry Data Launches Showing New Post Covid Trends Consolidate As Price Pressures Keep Lid On Significant Growth

The Mountain Trade Network, organisers of the London Snow Show, has launched its latest research in partnership with the Ski Club of Great Britain and Snow + Rock. The figures show the most accurate data across the ski destination travel industry and makes comparisons over the past three years to highlight trends.

The State of the Snowsports Market survey is sent to consumers subscribed to retailer Snow + Rock, members and subscribers of the Ski Club of Great Britain and subscribers of the London Snow Show as well as MTN’s own consumer database built since 2010. Sampling ensures the findings are representative of the UK Snowsports Market.

Some of the key findings:

• Data suggests overall numbers are slightly down but more skiers are taking multiple holidays – likely meaning more trips were taken
• Cost is the primary factor for those skiers that decide not to take a holiday during the winter
• Earlier booking has grown as accommodation options became more limited and prices hold up
• Catered chalets are back on the rise following a decline partly due to factors including Brexit and Covid
• Solo ski trips are on the rise, whilst family ski holidays are down
• Separated data shows 18-35 market chooses France first, but has Japan as their dream destination – 58% of them get inspiration from Instagram

The State of the Market annual survey suggests that the overall individual numbers of British people skiing and snowboarding last winter compared to the two previous winter seasons is slightly down, more people are taking multiple holidays with 34% taking two trips (up from 25% in 2023) and 9% taking four or more trips (compared with 5% in 2023). This is likely to mean that more trips have been taken during the 2024-25 winter since before the Covid-19 pandemic.

There has also been a significant rise in early bookings, with 41% of respondents saying they have booked their skiing holiday more than 6 months before travel (up from 32% in 2023). France is still the number one choice for British skiers, with 59% choosing its slopes, with Austria, Italy and Switzerland remaining in second, third and fourth respectively. There has been little significant change in those results over the past three years.

Catered chalets, run by tour operators, have seen somewhat of a recovery with 16% of respondents saying they choose that form of holiday in the 2025 season, compared to only 9% in 2023. Three star hotels are the most popular choice (32%), but four and five star hotels have lost ground. Tour operators have also re-gained some of the market over the past year, seeing 51% of overall bookings compared to those who book independently – only 43% of skiers booked with a tour operator during the season before. 

18% have said they chose to go skiing alone (compared to 13% in 2023), and this number has been steadily rising, possibly due to the impact of rising costs making it difficult for families to commit to a skiing holiday, although it is still the largest cohort at 60% of the market (but down from 68% in 2023).

Size of the ski area, price and resort altitude is the largest driver for UK skiers when choosing where to go skiing, but off-piste skiing options is a growing factor as well as being able to avoid more crowded slopes.

Resort websites are still the number one place where skiers look for inspiration, information and advice (66%) but magazines have seen the largest growth (34% compared to 24% in 2023). Instagram is now the largest social media platform for skiers, with 25% of respondents saying they use it, although in the 18 to 35 age bracket, that goes up to 58%, the second largest source of information for them after resort websites (75%). There’s a rise in AI search too, with 4% of respondents saying they use it for research (compared to 0% in 2023), and in the 18-35 age group, that goes up to 17%, although it’s worth referencing the fact it’s likely people don’t consider Google as AI in this case.

Japan is everyone’s dream skiing destination with 37% of skiers saying it’s the place they would love to travel to (it’s 57% in the 18-35 age category).

25% of respondents have said they have already booked at least one trip for next season, consistent with the data over the past three years.

For more information on skiing and snowboarding, including advice, inspiration and information, visit skiclub.co.uk For more information on the UK Snowsports industry and consumer insights visit mountaintradenetwork.com