Going skiing next year?
While Irish customers remain cautious about booking overseas travel for this summer, Topflight are reporting exceptionally high demand for ski holidays next winter season, with advance sales to date of close to €10m.
The company went on sale five months early to accommodate those customers wishing to defer their holidays from the current season due to the uncertainty around Covid-19 travel restrictions.
Anthony Collins, Topflight CEO said: “We look to the future with renewed confidence based on early season ski sales. The interest and bookings to date have been phenomenal. Having missed out during the 2020/21 season, many of our customers are awaiting the opportunity to get safely back to the slopes with family and friends, or to see their children experience a ski holiday for the first time.”
Early trends
Traditional ski resorts are the first choice, like Austria. The Irish have traditionally always loved Austria and early sales show it’s still the frontrunner. While Italy, France and Andorra are performing well, resorts such as Söll, Westendorf and Zell am See are seeing the strongest demand.
Skiers are looking to be pampered. Bookings to Topflight’s hotels offering half board are the option of choice. Four and five star properties are seeing the highest percentage increase.
In terms of year-on-year increases in bookings, Belfast is out-performing Dublin and Cork. This may be a direct correlation to the speed of vaccine rollout in Northern Ireland and the ripple effect giving customers the confidence to make bookings.
The company is predicting a very buoyant next ski season. If things continue as the first quarter has, the company is on track for an exceptional season.
The company will continue to monitor the Covid-19 situation and all holidays come with Topflight’s Book with Confidence Guarantee to ensure customers are protected in the event their holiday is impacted by Covid-19.
However, Topflight’s feeling is that 2021/22 will be a special season on the slopes and they look forward to once again being there for their customers.