WHY DON’T MORE BRITS SKI?

21st January 2019

Last modified on August 23rd, 2021

The majority of UK adults have never been on a ski trip, according to research by a leading outdoor sports retailer.

The survey of more than 7,600 UK adults published by Decathlon suggests that 58 per cent have never gone on a ski or snowboard trip, even though active holidays generally are on the rise.

Of those who don’t head to the slopes, more than one in four (26%) said it was because they don’t know how to ski.

Just under a quarter – 22% – had been put off by the perceived expense.

A further 17% said they did not believe they were fit or healthy enough to go on this type of holiday.

Some of those who said they were able to ski were still not keen: more than one in seven (16%) said they were put off because they were not confident skiers.

The figures come from the Decathlon Activity Index 2018.

The main barrier, says Decathlon, seems to be a lack of skill – suggesting more needs to be done to get British people into the sport.

“It is clear to see that, despite the Government’s SkiSafe campaign, which provides advice on safety on the slopes, getting the right travel insurance and even guidance on learning to ski, there is still more to do to encourage British people to get involved in skiing,” said Tea Djumisic, ski and snowboard sports manager at Decathlon.

“This is an incredibly intriguing finding when you consider that our research earlier this year revealed just how much people are wanting to participate in exercise and sports on holiday.

“Clearly, despite the success of home grown talents such as Graham Bell and Chemmy Alcott, there is a bit of a gap in understanding and skill when it comes to winter sports.

“There are a number of ways that skiing can be made more accessible to beginners or those with tighter budgets.

“There are a number of places in the UK where novices can learn the basics, and affordable ski equipment and clothing is more available than it ever has been before.