Austria’s ski resorts enter the home stretch

Hoteliers and lift operators in Austria are, by and large, satisfied with the results of the 2008/09 ski season. To keep their facilities at a high level of occupancy during the late-season months of March and April, Austria is primarily trying to attract families with children for ski holidays in Tyrol, Vorarlberg and the Salzburg region. The relatively late date of Easter in particular brings unwelcome competition from beach destinations in southern Europe for Austria’s ski regions, which is why the Alps are offering attractive special discounts this spring.

When planning its offers, the Salzburg region had to decide whether to focus more on events or, alternatively, to attract tourists with discounts. For cost reasons, most ski resorts in the Salzburg region opted for the latter. For example, children under 14 stay free in their parents’ room in Saalbach-Hinterglemm or Leogang. In addition, each parent who buys a ski pass valid for at least three days receives an extra ski pass for their child. In the best-case scenario, a family of four can therefore make the most of the benefits included for children.

Other winter sports regions in Austria also have offers comparable to those in Saalbach-Hinterglemm and Leogang, with only a few differences in the details. Children can get a free ski pass either for individual days (Lofer) or for a week (Amadé). Families interested in a ski holiday in Austria should, however, check the exact promotion dates for the winter sports resorts in question before booking.