Looking through a recent survey from Le Ski, I was struck by one stat in particular.

While it was encouraging to read that the number of UK skiers and snowboarders is predicted to grow by 14% in winter 2023/24, the fact that only 13% stay in catered chalets highlighted how much the market has changed.

The growth of chalet holidays

My career in the ski industry started in 1988, when I worked a winter season for Bladon Lines, the quintessential British chalet specialist.

The industry saw huge growth throughout the 1980s, although companies such as Bladon Lines struggled to compete as the chalet market matured in the 1990s, with aggressive new companies such as Crystal Ski (who I worked subsequent seasons for) stealing market share.

[For a fuller look at the Rise and Fall of Bladon Lines, please read my article for Ski+Board magazine from earlier this year]

New players might have joined, and the old guard fallen away, but the overall market continued to be strong into the 21st century.

Iain working in Mottaret in 1994

Almost half were staying in chalets or club hotels

In 2009, the Ski Club of Great Britain’s Snowsports Analysis reported that 37% of all British skiers stayed in catered chalets – making it the most popular accommodation option.

This figure excluded Club hotels (effectively a hotel run in a chalet style), which registered 6% of holidaymakers, meaning that close to half of all skiers were staying in catered accommodation, looked after by ‘chalet hosts’.

Chalet market has tumbled

Le Ski’s survey showed that in 2022/23 only 13% of UK skiers and snowboarders stayed in catered chalets – a massive fall that shows how the paradigm of British ski holidays has changed completely since Brexit.

The lobbying group Seasonal Businesses in Travel (SBiT) has been reporting on this change for several years.

In 2019, they estimated that UK travel companies had cut their programmes by 3800 beds per week and reduced their workforce by 30% since 2016.

More recently, SBiT have confirmed there has been a 56% reduction in catered chalets across Europe since Brexit.

Fewer chalets, that are harder to book

The number of chalets may have gone down, but among some British skiers the demand is still there.

“Chalets are more niche than ever – even with prices increasing due to new regulations and additional costs,” Nick Morgan from Le Ski has said.

At least I can close on a positive note, even if the halcyon days of the chalet holiday are clearly behind us.

It seems that a certain hard-core British skier is never going to give up their catered chalet holiday: Le Ski report that they are already 60% booked for this winter.