Iglu Says AI is Increasingly Used But Certainty & Trusted Advice Valued

9th June 2026

Its the fourth annual end-of-season customer survey compiled in collaboration with winter sports retailer Ellis Brigham.

Snow reliability is the single biggest factor when choosing a resort, named by 78% of skiers, well ahead of value for money (56%) and number of runs (46%).

It has topped the list for two years running.

Six in ten skiers (61%) say they deliberately book high-altitude resorts so they don’t have to worry about conditions — a habit rather than a passing trend.

The standout shift this year is AI.

The share of skiers using tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini to research where to go has nearly quadrupled, from 2.2% last year to 8.7% in 2026.

Social media has also climbed as a source of inspiration, up from 15% to 23%.

Yet both remain well behind the channels Britons trust most:

• Having “been before” (55%),
• Reading articles online (53%),
• Word of mouth (51%)
• Reviews (42%).

Tignes, France. Image © PlanetSKI

AI is a new layer on the research journey, not a replacement for experience and expert guidance.

Most skiers (58%) prefer to book online, and 60% book a package rather than piecing a trip together themselves.

But the pull towards human guidance is growing: the share who would rather speak to an expert has risen from 20% to 24% year on year.

When booking online, trust in the provider is the top priority — as it was last year — named by 73%, alongside ease of booking (68%).

Nine in ten skiers compare two or more websites before deciding.

The research consistently finds the wild après-ski cliché to be a myth.

Just 9% are looking for a club-style night out — broadly unchanged from last year — while skiers want sunny terraces (52%), a good in-resort restaurant (53%) and a hot tub to unwind in (50%).

Beer remains the après drink of choice (43%), and tartiflette is the nation’s favourite mountain meal (20%), ahead of pizza and raclette.

AI research has nearly quadrupled (2.2% to 8.7%), social media as a source of inspiration has risen by around seven points (15% to 23%), and openness to short breaks has grown (those who have booked one or would consider one up from 53% to 58%).

Against that, the fundamentals have held firm — snow reliability, trust and value remain the deciding factors, exactly as they were a year ago.

Other findings from the survey:

• France remains the runaway favourite destination (37%), with Italy (19%) now narrowly ahead of Austria (15%).
• Intermediates are the heart of the market: 46% describe themselves as intermediate and 32% as advanced.
• Skiing is sociable: 37% travel with family, 31% as a couple and 28% with friends.
• A smooth journey beats the lowest price: the convenience of a local airport (56%) and speed to resort (54%) both rank above “whatever is cheapest” (49%).
• Green credentials remain a “nice-to-have” rather than a dealbreaker, consistent with last year: only 4.5% will book solely environmentally committed hotels.

“After 27 years of sending skiers to the mountains, we can see the shifts clearly,” said Iglu Managing Director, Simon McIntyre .

“AI is changing how people research a holiday, and we’re fully embracing that — but the data is just as clear that skiers still come to trusted experts when it counts.

“What hasn’t changed is what matters most: reliable snow, a company you trust, and the flexibility to book the trip that suits you.

“That’s exactly where our award-winning service is focused.

See the full survey here: 2026 Iglu Ski Survey Results.

The survey was undertaken in May 2026 with 992 respondents.

PlanetSKI: Number 1 for digital ski news

Your digital platform for ski news, resort information, travel, equipment rental, sport, money saving deals and everything connected with snowsports – web site, social media & more.