New Zealand offers good value for skiers
26 Mar 2009
Skiing in New Zealand has become an even more attractive option for international visitors this year with the exchange rate making ticket prices up to 40% cheaper for the 2009 season than last winter.
A study that looks at pricing at ski resorts worldwide says New Zealand has become good value particularly for international travellers from North America and Europe.
Price comparison
The Skiinfo.com World Ski Lift Ticket Price Report 2009 is the eighth edition of a study which compares the prices of a six-day high season lift ticket at more than 600 ski resorts in 40 countries around the world. It converts the ticket prices to euros, US dollars and British pounds.
The report says ski lift tickets in New Zealand have dropped from about €204.25 to an average of €149.62, and although prices in the ski resorts may have increased by small amounts, the stronger euro and US dollar makes costs far lower for skiers arriving from the northern hemisphere this season.
Big savings for skiers
For US residents the savings of skiing in New Zealand are even greater than for Europeans, down from an average of just over US$302 for six days in the 2008 report to US$190 in the latest report - a saving of almost 40% thanks to a strong US dollar.
For British skiers in New Zealand, the weak pound means savings are somewhat less but still offer 14% cuts with average prices down from £153.20 to £131.55 for six days. This compares favourably with increased prices to almost all other ski destinations for UK citizens, the report says.
Costs elsewhere
Australia dropped from third to fourth in the most expensive lift tickets in the world table, overtaken by Japan and the USA. The country would have gone to fifth place but South Africa’s only commercial ski area filed for bankruptcy last month, taking the country out of the table.
The report also found that 19 of the world’s 20 most expensive lift tickets were in the USA, and eight of the world’s top 10 most expensive tickets are offered by Colorado ski resorts.
The tiny principality of Andorra, once famous as a budget destination, now has Europe’s highest average lift ticket price at US$245.
Skiing New Zealand
New Zealand has a number of world class ski resorts in both the North and South Islands.
More information:
Winter 2009 New Zealand ski season
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