Banff Ski Resort Takes The Crown As The Most Popular In The World According To Instagram. Ski Resort With No Lifts In 6th Place !

Findings released today from Alpha Travel Insurance reveal the top 25 ski resort destinations in the world according to Instagram by analysing the number of hashtags used for each one.

SIN wonders if this might be an exercise in garbage in > garbage out as ome of the findings seem, well... odd. In particular Bend, Oregon riding into 6th place seems a rather quirky result as Bend is not a ski resort, yet it beats Zermatt which, last time SIN checked was equipped with skilifts. In fact if you want to ski 'in' Bend you'll have to drive 22 miles before you reach the slope of Mount Bachelor.

Nevertheless, if you want to consult this valuable contribution to ski research, please read that with the stage direction of 'dripping with irony', this is what they have to say..

Skiing is a popular choice for millions of people every year escaping for an adrenaline rush, picturesque views and the snowy slopes of whichever destination chosen. There are so many ski resorts to choose from across the world from Japan to France, but which is the most popular on Instagram?  View the interactive piece in full here.

• Banff takes the crown as the most popular ski resort according to Instagram with almost 1,901,654 hashtag uses

• Canada is the most popular destination for ski resorts with Banff and Whistler taking the two top spots according to Instagram

• USA is the leading country with eight ski resorts appearing in the top 25 destinations

• Europe is the place to visit if you’re an avid skier with a grand total of 12 destinations across the continent to choose from

• Posting travel photos on one of the world’s most popular online platforms, Instagram has never been more popular. There are an average of 80 million photos uploaded every single day and over 7 million posts on the site have the hashtag #skiing. As winter is well underway and the skiing season is upon us, the ski slopes will come alive with avid skiers grabbing their skis to embrace the snow and freezing temperatures. With incredible mountain views, winter sports and post-ski entertainment in the form of après ski on offer, there’s no wonder so many of us ditch the sun and sand for this wintry alternative.

With such stunning views on offer, it’s not surprising that we can’t help but post our favourite holiday snaps on Instagram, but which resorts are the most popular when it comes to hashtag usage on Instagram?

Here are the Top 10 Most Popular Ski Resorts on Instagram:

Canada takes 1st and 2nd place for the most Instagrammed ski resort destinations in the world with Banff and Whistler. Canada is well known for its snowy landscapes and beautiful views so it's no surprise the top two ski resorts reside here. There are approximately 275 Canadian ski areas that see more over 19 million visits per season meaning there’s a huge amount of choice when picking your Canadian ski get away. According to Instagram, Banff and Whistler are the places to be.

Banff National Park, in which there are three ski areas was Canada’s first National Park and only the third in the world giving this ski resort historical value as well as its obvious beauty and popularity. #Banff has been used 1,901,654 times making it the clear favourite on Instagram.

Coming in as the third most popular ski resort is Aspen, USA. #Aspen has been used 1,183,962 times making it the most popular American ski resort according to Instagram. Aspen is famous for its celebrity visitors, glamours and cultured towns and challenging ski slopes. Colorado has four separate ski areas known as Aspen Snowmass, all linked by a shuttle bus service. Originally a Victorian mining town, Aspen hosts a huge amount of history as well as its world famous ski resort so it's no wonder this location is so popular for the worlds ski lovers. As well as coming in third, the US have the most ski resorts on the list with a total of eight making the top 25.

No matter how beautiful the location, the most important part of the trip is obviously the skiing itself. This high adrenaline sport doesn’t come without its risks though with a number of winter sports related insurance claims being made each year. According to Alpha Travel Insurance, the destination you’re most likely to make an injury claim when enjoying winter sports is France. Out of 74 injury claims made this year so far, 40 were made in France.

Whether you’re planning your first time on the slopes or you’re a skiing pro, choosing a ski resort can be tricky with a huge amount of choice all over the world.

Now you know the ultimate ski resorts, where do you think you’ll be packing up your ski gear and heading to next?