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If planning a skiing trip to the South Island of New Zealand, there are a variety of impressive ski fields and accompanying ski resorts where great last minute ski deals and package deals are offered.

There is a long ski season on South Island. In Canterbury, Mount Hutt generally opens in June, with the season continuing until the end of October. The scenery here is spectacular and last minute ski deals often include a variety of other pursuits and après-ski activities.

Queenstown and Lake Wanaka

Dramatic and eye-catching, the Alps that surround the Queenstown resort offer breathtaking views. Queenstown borders Lake Wakatipu, and it inspires respect and admiration as a winter ski destination with its sophisticated, lively resort. Located in an urban setting, Queenstown boasts popular and stylish bars and restaurants, fashionable boutiques and is easy to get around.

The township of Wanaka is quieter than Queenstown, but it has the largest skiable territory in all of New Zealand, Australia, New Guinea and the neighbouring islands of the Pacific Ocean. Last minute ski deals can be arranged to the well-known Treble Cone and Cardrona, offering amazingly good value for world-class facilities. Staying in Wanaka makes sense, as there is easy access daily to Cardrona and Treble Cone by bus and a shuttle service from the centre.

Snow Park NZ is well worth a visit. It is the country’s major terrain park and hailed as excellent for cross-country skiing and freestyle skiing.

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Everyone who ski’s or snowboards has a favourite destination when it comes to this popular winter sport, and if you and your family have yet to decide where to spend your sporting holiday here are some things for you to consider.

The United States

Most people have heard of Colorado, and with 11 resorts to consider you may want to spend a couple of extra weeks swishing down the slopes.  Probably the most popular venue is Aspen; you can stay right on the mountain and ski in and out from your fully furnished chalet.  

Lake Tahoe is in California and boasts 12 ski resorts.  Kirkwood Mountain Resort gets more snow than any of the others and is perfect if you are planning a family ski holiday.  Heavenly Valley is close to the Stateline and is where you will want to head if you want to spend your evenings at the casino.  This is the largest resort on the lake and caters for beginners, intermediate and advanced skiers and snowboarders.

Europe

Switzerland is home to the Matterhorn, which is one of the most well known mountains in the world, and if you are looking for somewhere unusual to spend the night the Igloo Village on Rotenboden is the place for you.  The village can accommodate up to 40 people and is a destination that you will want to return to again and again. 

The Austrian Alps offer all kinds of packages for skiers. Innsbruck is the capital city and is internationally renowned for its winter sports centre.  The glacier lifts on the Stubai are open 365 days a year and offer excellent skiing for the more advanced skier.

Wherever you decide to spend your ski holiday be sure and do your research.  You will want to get the best value for money, and most resorts will offer some sort of discount travel package.

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Where to be sure of great ski deals and never short of snow? When the season has been variable, as is sometimes the case, start by looking for a resort where decent snow is a given.

For example, Tignes in France is popular particularly towards the end of the season: with an altitude of 2,100m in the resort itself, it is surrounded by peaks and glaciers on which skiing is available all year apart from during a few weeks at the height of summer.

Staying in France, Bonneval sur Arc resort Val Cennis retains a reputation for great skiing in the spring. There are 125km of slopes here, many with aspects that face north, providing extra protection from the sun and helping to retain the snow.

In Switzerland, Zermatt boasts the highest slopes in Europe and here it is possible to do some skiing on every day of the year. This is one location where those in pursuit of great ski deals can be absolutely sure of catching the snow at any time.

The Austrian resort Ischgl has a reputation for a very merry après-ski crowd, so it may not suit all tastes. Nonetheless, it is one of Austria’s major resorts with slopes of up to 2,870m and an impressively solid record of snowfall.

In Italy, Livigno, or ‘Little Tibet’ as it is affectionately known locally, has slopes reaching 2,900m and a dry, cold climate. It is favoured by large, heavy and powerful falls of snow, so a sure bet for those who wish to be certain of the snowfall.

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These days you do not have to be wealthy to enjoy a skiing holiday, so if you’re a student looking for some college travel then a ski holiday could be the trip for you. However the key to finding cheap ski holidays is in knowing that skiing is a holiday choice that is ultimately seasonal in nature. The resorts, the hotels, other accommodation providers and the tour operators need to make maximise their annual income in a very short period of time – just four months.

This can be a real bonus, as prices for holidays will vary in order to exploit demand. For example, one week’s holiday in early December might cost upwards of £500. The same holiday, with identical accommodation, flights and facilities, taken in mid-February, is likely to cost over £1,200.

So December and January can be good months for cheap ski holidays, with the proviso that the Christmas/New Year period has become increasingly popular, as has Easter whether it falls in March or April. Booking a holiday in the low-season months and finding last minute hotel deals offer the cheapest option.

Shrewd and thorough research will lead to really great cheap ski deals: for around £400 it’s possible to find flights, transfers, accommodation for one week, excellent food and wine plus helpful staff and ski guides.

It’s important to remember that the bigger resorts are those where tour operators have more chalets and hotel rooms to fill. Look on the websites of the variety of companies offering ski holidays, or talk to agents who can provide a customised service.

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Whether it is a group of friends or a corporate getaway, group skiing holidays can be lots of fun. They can also be a complete nightmare to plan. With so many cheap ski deals out there for groups, choosing the right one takes a lot of consideration. Pleasing an entire group of adults can seem an impossible task, but with forward thinking and a little compromise it is an achievable objective.

First things first, talk money. Find out how much each person is willing to spend and what your total budget is. This in itself is a big job, you may have to get some people to spend a little more than they would like to.  Once you have a rough estimate of your budget you can start looking for a ski deal. When you are booking the flights make sure you know where each person will be travelling from. If your group is spread out you will need to arrange multiple flights.

Choosing your destination will need to be a group decision. Put together a list of possibilities based on preferences, skill levels and how important après ski is to your group. Once you have a number of realistic options, present these to your group and discuss the pros and cons of each. If needs be, put it down to a vote.

If it all becomes too much to handle, enlist the help of a professional. There are lots of cheap ski deals for groups out there and a travel agent can help find the right one for all your requirements.

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As you get more involved in skiing you will start to acquire all the equipment and take less and less time to plan your ski holidays. Once it is truly part of your life you may find yourself taking advantage of last minute ski deals and setting off at the drop a hat. Even so you will need to ensure you have all you need before leaving home. Here is brief checklist of all the things you will need, whether you are a first timer or a seasoned pro.

Documents:
•    Passports
•    Boarding passes
•    Booking confirmations
•    Insurance documents
•    Credit cards and currency

Luggage:
•    Apparel:
◦    Base layers
◦    Middle layers
◦    Insulating layer
◦    Goggles, Headgear, socks and gloves

•    A backpack to take up the mountain, containing:
◦    Sunblock, UV rays are reflected by the snow so go for a high SPF factor
◦    A water flask and snacks
◦    A first aid kit
◦    An emergency tool kit
•    Your ski or board bag – make sure you let your airline know you are taking these with you
•    You boot bag
•    Anything else you take with you when going away (toiletries, pyjamas, laptop etc.)

Miscellaneous Arrangements:
•    Get someone to collect your post, feed the cats, water the plants
•    Keep fit!  Staying in shape will mean you are always ready to get the most out your trips.

It seems like a lot but once you’ve run through it a few times you’ll be able to take advantage of any opportunities to hit the slopes no matter how short the notice. Keep an eye out for those last minute ski deals that can sometimes be as economical as planning a year in advance.

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France is one of the top destinations for skiing.  Not only does this country offer the superior slopes of the Alps, but it is also home to a wide variety of chalets and resorts to suit all and any tastes.  Of course, there are a number of other world-renowned skiing destinations including Italy, Austria and Switzerland.  So, why choose a ski holiday in France?

One reason is France’s location.  It is the closest skiing destination to the UK and so there are a number of cheap ways to reach it: you can take the train, a plane or a ferry.  In addition, the surrounding terrain is stunning before you even reach the mountains.

Another reason is the great variety to choose from in a ski holiday in France.  Visitors can decide from over 400 resorts, lodges and chalets.  In addition, different resorts offer different facilities.  Whether you are a beginner and want lessons, are coming with young children who prefer nursery slopes or have been skiing for years and want tougher terrain, you can find the perfect resort.  In fact, if you would prefer not to don a pair of skis, there are other forms of entertainment to indulge in including swimming pools, high quality restaurants and bars.

If you are looking for perfect and cheap skiing holidays then take a look at what France has to offer.  Here, you can not only indulge in the snow of the Alps but also a fantastic range of skiing facilities, both on and off the slopes.

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Switzerland has a number of ski resorts and all of them offer something different.  Depending on your choice, the resorts can offer premier cuisine, bustling nightlife activities, seclusion, music festivals and shopping delights, in addition to some fantastic skiing opportunities, of course.  Here are just a few of the many ski resorts that Switzerland has to offer:

Grindelwald

This ski resort is among the more affordable ski resorts and, as a result, sees a lot of tourists each year.  There are plenty of restaurants, discos and bars here.  Many skiers use this resort as a base camp for excursions to Kleine Scheidegg and Männlichen.  You can also get to Mürren and Wengen by the cable car from Grindelwald.

Gstaad

The slopes at Gstaad are not the most difficult to master and, as such, this resort is suitable for beginners.  This ski resort is, however, among the more expensive of the resorts and budget hotels are difficult to find.  The resort offers a lot of activities including shopping and music festivals.

Mürren

Mürren is uniquely positioned on a rock ledge above the Lauterbrunnen Valley.  Mürren is easily among the most picturesque of the ski resorts in Switzerland and since it does not receive many tourists, it is ideal if you are looking to spend quieter holiday.  However, it is also one of the most expensive ski resorts in Switzerland.  Skiing here demands a lot of skill, with plenty of steep slopes to navigate.  Mürren offers about 25 kilometres of skiing opportunities amidst breathtaking scenery.

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Les Trois Vallées (The Three Valleys) is one of the largest skiing areas in the French Alps and is a popular choice for people booking ski holidays. It is one of the largest ski areas in the world, with over 600 km of ski slopes and a further 120 km that is perfect for cross-country skiing. The area has 183 ski lifts, easily capable of carrying 260,000 people per hour. Les Trois Vallées has over 1,500 skiing instructors during the season so, whether a beginner or an expert, Les Trois Vallées caters for everyone’s needs 

Les Trois Vallées has now been extended into a fourth valley, accessible via a gondola. There are eight main resorts in Les Trois Vallées with eleven sub-resorts so there is plenty of choice when looking for a skiing holiday. One of the valleys, Tarentaise Valley, has the largest concentration of world-class ski resorts in the world.

Les Trois Vallées is one of the most popular skiing destinations in France and quite possibly the world. Offering world class slopes, equipment and internationally recognised accommodation, this is definitely an area to look out for when looking at ski holidays in France. With the 2011-2012 season coming, there soon will be hundreds of deals available. An area as famous and as well-equipped as Les Trois Vallées will fill up quickly, and for good reason. Do not miss out by waiting too long.

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When searching for a holiday, everyone wants to try and get the best skiing holiday deals. This 2011-2012 season is no different. There are a few things you can do to stay on top of the deals that will come your way.

Pick a destination

When searching for a ski holiday, try to pick out a destination before looking through the deals. Many countries you may not have thought of as offering affordable skiing holidays may actually have some good deals on offer and it could prove to be an unforgettable trip. While Europe is the standard, look outside the box and see what else there is on offer. Remember to check out individual resorts as well, as one resort may have a particular offer you simply can’t resist.

Where to look

A ski holiday in France may be what you want, but either way you have to find a deal that will get you there. Travel agents are a good first stop to get more information but if you want the really good deals for 2011-2012 check the internet.

What to look for in a deal

This part is up to you. Full package deals can be located that will arrange everything for you including accommodation, or you can piece your holiday together from multiple separate deals.

The 2011-2012 season is coming so take advantage of the best ski deals you can find.

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