New Survey Reveals Changing Habits of British Skiers & Snowboarders

9th October 2026

The Slope Report comes from WeSki’s booking and survey data as a window into how British skiers actually plan, book and take ski holidays.

The 2026 edition analyses two full ski seasons : 2024/25 and 2025/26.

It draws on data from over 100,000 skiers across more than 300 ski resorts, 4.2m holiday searches and is supported by more than 2,400 customer survey responses.

The report claims to offer one of the most detailed views available of how British ski holidays are planned and taken.

• The Alps reshaping: Italy has recorded the biggest country-level gain in, up 1.4% – with Austria up 0.9% and Switzerland up 0.6%. France remains dominant but the redistribution is clear and consistent across two seasons
• Resort loyalty: Pas de la Casa in Andorra is the biggest improver among all resorts in the data, up 12.8% in a single season. Sestriere in Italy is close behind at 12.6% – consistent with Italy’s broader surge
• Beyond the Alps: Zakopane in Poland has recorded one of the biggest single-resort gains in the data, up 0.8%
• Skiers going more often: the proportion taking two or more trips a year jumped 11.7% in a single season – from roughly one in five to more than one in three

“We started WeSki because booking a ski holiday was harder than it should be,” said the CEO of WeSki, Yotam Idan.

“What this data tells us is that the demand was always there – it just needed unlocking.

“More families, more cities, more destinations, more of the year.

“Skiing isn’t a niche pursuit anymore.

“It’s becoming something much more interesting.”

The Alps are tightening their grip – but the map within them is changing

More than eight in ten British WeSki customers go to the Alps – a share that has grown by 0.4%  year-on-year.

The story is not one of departure from the Alps, but of redistribution within them.

France remains the dominant force, but Italy, Austria and Switzerland are all growing.

The Dolomites, Italy. Image © PlanetSKI

“Italy has been the story of this season,” added the CEO of WeSki, Yotam Idan.

“When search and bookings move together in the same direction for two seasons running, that’s not a blip, it’s a permanent shift.

“Austria is also quietly having one of its best years.”

Other findings include:

• The family ski holiday is at its highest share ever
• Solo travel is growing
• Northern cities are closing in on London
• Hotels are now the dominant format of the British ski holiday

Ski bookings are growing across the North and Midlands faster than anywhere else in the UK.

Manchester is now the UK’s second biggest ski departure airport.

New direct routes are a significant part of the explanation.

Hotel bookings have risen 15.7% in a single season, the biggest accommodation shift in the data.

The growth is consistent with who’s skiing: families favour the simplicity of hotel stays, solo travellers overwhelmingly book hotels.

“The ski hotel has changed enormously,” said the Co-Founder & CFO/COO of  WeSki, David Benzimra.

“The best ones now compete with the mountain itself for your attention – spa, dining, ski concierge, kids’ clubs.

“It’s not surprising that more British skiers are choosing hotels.

“The product has genuinely got better, and it suits the way more people want to travel.”

Zermatt, Switzerland. Image c/o PlanetSKI.

British skiers are booking earlier and the season is shifting earlier at the front end.

The booking revolution is quiet but measurable, and the festive ski weekend has arrived.

January is the fastest-growing travel month, up 3.3%.

December is growing too, up 1.9%.

Together they now account for nearly 40% of the ski year – as more British skiers head to the slopes earlier in the season than ever before.

The traditional 7-day ski week is holding steady.

But the formats growing fastest are at both ends – short breaks are up, extended trips are up.

The British ski trip is diversifying around the 7-day week, not away from it.

The proportion skiing twice a year or more jumped by 11.7% in a single season – from roughly one in five to more than one in three.

In Summary:

The New Map

• 8 in 10 British ski bookings go to the Alps – and growing
• Italy +1.4% – the biggest country-level gain in the data
• Austria +0.9% · Switzerland +0.6%
• Zakopane, Poland – one of the biggest single-resort gains, up 0.8%
• 3 in 4 British skiers try a different resort each season
• 78% say they plan to return to the same resort – up from 55%

The New Ski Crowd

• Families at their highest ever share of ski bookings – up 2.7%
• Solo skiers: the most spontaneous, adventurous and exploratory segment
• Hotels now nearly 6 in 10 British ski bookings
• North West and Yorkshire the fastest-growing region – up 0.8%
• Manchester is now the UK’s second biggest ski departure airport

The Booking Revolution

• Median booking lead time: 61 days – up 3 days year-on-year
• January the fastest-growing travel month – up 3.3%
• December short trip share up 3.1% – the festive ski weekend is arriving
• 28.8% intend to book in September or October  – 17.4% actually do

What Comes Next

• Skiers going twice a year or more: up 11.7% in a single season
• 79.7% already planning their next trip before the previous one has ended
• New routes from Newcastle, Birmingham and regional airports creating demand that didn’t exist before
• Japan: interest building before the bookings arrive

Hokkaido, Japan. Image © PlanetSKI

See here for the full report: The Slope Report 2026.

About WeSki

WeSki is the ski holiday platform that makes it simple to book the perfect ski trip – flights, transfers, accommodation, passes, equipment and more, all in one place.

It was founded in 2016 and WeSki has taken more than 200,000 skiers to 300+ resorts across 20+ countries.

In March 2026, WeSki launched WeSki.ai, an AI trip planner that builds personalised ski itineraries from first conversation to final booking.

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