According to a recent report by the prestigious Italian Touring Club Study Centre the Alta Badia region of the Alps is the best ski resort in Europe.

Alta Badia is comprised of five stunning ski villages, including Colfosco, Corvara, La Vila and San Cassiano. The survey involved 111 Alpine ski resorts and looked at all the major winter sports stations in the Alps.

The researchers considered the Alta Badia region to have a great “geographical situation and mountain setting”. The accommodation, ski lifts and potential for articficial snow covering were regarded as being of high quality.

The runners-up in the survey were Zermatt and the Italian resort of Val Gardena.

The popular European destination of Cyprus offers British holidaymakers the opportunity to combine an exciting ski break with a beach holiday.

Ski enthusiasts can enjoy a mornings skiing on the slopes of the Troodos Mountains followed by an afternoon by the pool with tempretures of around 21 degrees.

The ski season in Cyprus runs from mid January to mid-March and late booking is advisable in order to guarantee snow.

Cyprus is an ideal destination for families looking to introduce their children to skiing for the first time, as well as for sun-worshippers looking for activities away from the sun lounger.

The new Capella Niseko Ski Resort in Japan has been designed with european ski culture in mind, in order to capture the excellence found at resorts in Switzerland and France.

The location has been chosen for its beauty and serenity as well as the natural environment and sumptuous Japanese cuisine.

“The area is beautiful and serene - the perfect place for a state-of-the-art resort where Asian and international travellers can enjoy a European-style holiday right here in the region,” said Mr Ernest Tsang, managing partner of developer Annupuri Land.

The resort is due for completion in 2010 and will offer a 70-room hotel, village centre and 149 Capella residences. Capella Niseko has been designed with the “duality and diversity of nature” in mind.

Natural materials have been used throughout, including stone, glass and raw wood as well as fire, water and greenery to create a peaceful ambiance. It is expected that the resort will attract many British and European travellers looking to experience a new skiing environment.

As the first flakes of snow fall on ski slopes throughout Europe and further afield, many ski enthusiasts are gearing up for an exciting season at one of the many stunning winter resorts.

Some of the most popular resorts in Europe this season will include Arlberg, Austria, Chamonix, France and Verbier, Switzerland. America’s top destinations for the winter include Whistler, Sun Valley and Jackson Hole.

For top level skiiers looking to enjoy their sport in some of the World’s top skiing destinations Europe offers the Three Valleys resort if France, which is one of the most famous ski areas on the continent. It offers more than 410 miles of slopes connected exclusively by runs and lifts.

Those British skiiers seeking long and coasting slopes should look into winter holiday breaks at Switzerland’s Davos resort. Its five ski areas covering both sides of the valley offer an endless variety of terrain.

The Aspen ski resort in Colorado has long since been a favourite of British holidaymakers wishing to sample the “champagne powder” which covers the slopes. The three mountains that make up the resort, Buttermilk, Aspen Highlands and Aspen Mountains offer a range of slopes for vaying abilities.

For skiiers seeking a skiing break on a budget there are a good selection of package deals and special offers on this season - holiday experts are advising travellers to shop around to find the best bargains.

A report by the Telegraph has revealed that rail travel in Europe is often much cheaper than flying to your chosen destination.

European rail connections offer many high-speed services, such as the Inter City Express in Germany. The excellent overnight services which mean travellers can leave after work and wake up in Germany, France, Italy or Scandinavia early next morning.

Rail travel also allows for maximum exploration of the chosen european destination, as regional services provide access to the very centre of even the most remote destinations.

Off-season travel offers excellent ticket deals and bargain accommodation packages. Winter festivals are in abundance throughout Europe with many hosting atmospheric Christmas markets and ice rinks.

Travelling by rail also avoids expensive surcharges for transporting skiis and sports equipment.

More flights to popular ski holiday destinations are to fly from Manchester Airport this winter.

New services from the Swiss Airline include -
Additional Saturday and Sunday flights to Geneva between 14 December 2008 and 18 April 2008 2009. Fares start at £117 return.

“We are delighted to be offering this additional connection between the UK and Switzerland, which demonstrates our commitment to both tourism in the Lake Geneva area and to our customers in northern England, north Wales and Scotland.” said Swiss country sales manager UK and Ireland, Gregor Koncilja.

“Leisure travellers looking for a ski holiday or extended city break can now escape conveniently and directly to Geneva, whilst enjoying the services of a top quality airline and the associated benefits of free baggage allowance, complimentary transportation of skis, food and beverage and, of course, Swiss hospitality from the moment they board the flight.”

Recent research by the Guardian newspaper has compiled a range of top tips and useful hints for booking the ideal skiing holiday in France.

To avoid the crowds plan your holiday for January or March time, which have the best deals as they are outside of peak times.

A driving holiday will provide greater flexibility and drving over night could make travelling with children easier, as they are likely to sleep through most of the journey.

Skiiers with their own equipment will find flying with low cost airlines expensive due to the additional charges. Airlines such as Snowjet and BA may be worth looking into for good deals.

Ensure the children are well catered for in advance. France has some of the most sophisticated childcare in the Alps and ski schools are always very well organised.

Many French ski resorts offer loyalty discounts for returning skiiers, which could save money on lift passes and equipment hire. Many resorts also offer free or discounted passes for children, depending on their age.

This season will see an upsurge in the number of green ski runs on ski slopes worldwide, but this is not to encourage beginners, but rather to promote a more environmentally friendly attitude towards this very popular winter sport.

The Ski Club of Great Britain is on the verge of launching a new online tool which will make it easier for ski reorts to minimise their environmental impact.

The new website makesnowsportsgreener.com has been developed in conjunction with the Travel Foundation and will be launched on 20th October.

The website will offer pratical advice for resorts on the energy savings that businesses such as lift operators, hotels and shops can make in all areas of their trade ranging from buildings to snow-making and transport in and around the resort.

Flights from Southampton will now include the destinations Grenoble and Zurich which will be offered by Blue Islands, an airline based in the Channel Islands. Flights to Zurich will depart daily during the week with an extra flight being introduced on Sundays as of October 26th.

Blue Islands will join the airline Flybee in offering flights to Geneva.

Holidaymakers departing from Southampton will now have the choice of eight winter ski destinations across Europe.

Southampton airport customer service director, Mark Knox, said: “It’s fantastic that Southampton Airport will be offering passengers such a wide variety of ski holidays this winter. Ski enthusiasts can fly from their local airport to literally hundreds of Europe’s leading ski resorts.”

Traditionally skiing holidays have been thought of as one of the more expensive types of holiday, but recent research has shown that there are some excellent skiing destinations in Eastern Europe offering great value accommodation and a fabulous ski experience.

Bulgaria’s increasingly popular ski resorts of Bansko, Borovets and Pamprovo offer great, low-cost deals on ski passes as well as top-class skiing facilities for skiers and snowboarders alike. Paragliding is also a popular sport in these areas.

Luxury ski apartments and charming, well-equipped chalets are available at the price of standard hotel rooms at other more up-market ski resorts around the world.

Slovenia’s central location and its unspoilt nature and uncrowded slopes make it an excellent choice for skiers. Its modern facilities and wide, open slopes make it the perfect location for those wishing to try their hand at skiing for the first time.

Sleigh rides, ice skating, ice climbing and hiking are among other equally popular activities at the resort. Modern apartments and chalets are available to suit all group sizes and budgets and all with stunning views of the surrounding mountain scenery.

The “SkiWelt- Kitzbüheler Alpen” ski resort in Tirol, Austria is to unveil a revolutionary news solar powered ski lift which will come into service for the coming ski season.

The solar powered conveyer belt and T-bar style lift will take skiers and snowboarders from near the swimming lake at Brixen up to a new 8-seater cableway.

The aptly named “Sonnenlift” is a worldwide innovation with a photovoltaic system that provides enough energy to power the lift even when the weather is poor.

From December this year the ski areas of Kals and Matrei will be joined and will form East Tirol’s largest skiing area with 100kms of piste and guaranteed snow cover.

The Association of SnowSports Countries (ASC) is planning to offer free skiing across 46 resorts in some of the most popular skiing resorts in Andorra, Austria, Canada, Finland, France, Norway and Switzerland.

This one-off offer is open to 1000 genuine first time skiers, for one week only beginning either on the 17th or the 24th January 2009. The event is limited to those over the age of 18 and participants will only have to pay for the standard cost of their package holiday.

Free tuition, lift passes and equipment hire are all included in the package in order to attract more interest, as many travellers who are tempted by skiing are often put off by the added costs.

Many american resorts are aiming to cater for the traditionally non-ski times of year with a range of new and exciting activities such as dogsledding, snowshoeing.

Activities such as kayaking are also highly popular with holidaymakers at holiday locations such as Lake Tahoe, voted number one ski destination by Orbitz in 2007/2008.

Holidaymakers are advised to research their winter holiday destination for non-ski events and activities that will add to their vacation experience.

Non-ski activities also provide travellers with the opportunity to get to know the culture and delights of the area around their chosen destination.

Passengers wishing to fly to New Brunswick, Canada will now be able to do so from Gatwick airport.

This long-awaited service will provide travellers with greater access to the many popular resorts along the Atlantic Coast including Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.

The flight operator will be Air Transat, offering both Economy and Club Class on an Airbus A310.

From 13th December UK holidaymakers will be able to fly to Austria’s popular skiing destination of Salzburg from Gatwick.

This newly announced service from easyjet puts an end to the frustrations of British skiers wanting a more direct connection between London and the Austrian skiing resort.

Easyjet will be offering the flights three times a week with prices starting from £32.99 one way.
David Osbourne, the general commercial manager for easyjet, said: “We expect the route to be popular with passengers seeking both a city break away and a great ski destination for those looking to hit the slopes this winter.”

A record number of British people are taking holidays in America, says the Visit USA Association.

New statistics show that there was an 11 per cent rise in visitors to America in May this year when compared to the previous year.

It is believed that the high value of the pound to the dollar is leading more people to take holidays in America.

Peter Moss, Chairman of Visit USA said the figures “really do support the fact that 2008 may well go on to become the biggest year ever for UK travel to the USA - possibly as high as five million visitors”.

British Airways recently revealed that four of its US destinations are in their top 5 global destinations.

Ryanair is doubling its routes from Luton Airport, only two weeks after cutting back their flights from Stansted Airport.

From 27 October, there will be new routes to -
Derry (3 times a week)
Beziers (twice a week)
Biarritz (3 times a week)
Rzeszow (twice a week)
Szczecin (3 times a week)
Trapani (3 times a week)
Kaunas (3 times a week)

Natalie Raper, London Luton Airport’s Marketing Director, said, “We are delighted to announce these new routes with Ryanair giving our passengers yet more choice of places visit and more convenience for business travellers. The airline’s decision to expand the number of destinations served from London Luton reaffirms the airport’s ease of use with great transport connections and close proximity to London. Our route network now covers over 95 destinations and Ryanair is an important partner in the ongoing success of the airport.”

A study of holiday destinations in the developing nations has revealed the top 10 ethical destinations.

The top 10 (in alphabetical order) is -
Argentina
Bolivia
Bulgaria
Chile
Costa Rica
Croatia
Estonia
Namibia
Nicaragua
South Africa

The study was conducted by San Francisco based Ethical Traveler magazine and rated each country on its environmental protection, social welfare and human rights conditions.

Holidays in Croatia have become even more popular this year, as it is seen by many people as a cheaper alternative to Italy and was praised for its “large percentage of protected eco-regions”.

Bulgaria, popular for family beach holidays and cheap ski holidays in the winter months scored highly for the social welfare and civil liberties enjoyed by its citizens.

Jeff Greenwald of Ethical Traveler said: “Each year, the public interest in responsible tourism grows [and the report] helps travellers who choose to use their tourism dollars to support human rights and the environment.”

A new ski pass has been launched, allowing access to 10 ski resorts run by “’La Compagnie des Alpes Domaines Skiables”, in France.

The Holiski pass allows users to by-pass cash desks, as it has an RFID chip embedded, recognised by access terminals on all the ski resorts included in the pass.

The ski pass can be purchased online, or at participating ski resorts, and used at any time, without booking or buying anything in advance. There is an annual fee of 32 Euros on the Holiski pass – the days actually spent skiing on the resorts will be billed on credit or debit card the following month.

The new ski pass makes skiing in the area hassle free, especially for frequent skiers.

For more information on the Holiski pass visit www.holiski.com where the pass can be purchased.