With cheap prices, Eastern Europe is trying to take up the fight for Swedish ski families.

While holidays in the Swedish mountains are becoming more expensive, there are alternatives that are kinder to the wallet, not least in Eastern Europe.

When Forex ranked 30 different ski resorts based on the cost of lift passes, meals, beer and hotel nights, Brezovica in Kosovo was found to be the cheapest. According to the bank's calculations, the Balkan resort is 73 percent cheaper than a visit to Åre. Other, relatively unknown, places in Bulgaria and Poland were also highlighted as the most affordable.

Johan Solbreck, founder of the guide site Allt om skiresor, has seen increased interest in Eastern Europe in recent years.

”"You see that many people go in and read articles about travel destinations in Eastern Europe, but not as many people book. A family with children may not dare to book because they think the quality is poor, but the large ski resorts in Poland and the Czech Republic are at least as good as Sälen," he says.

At the ski tourism company Skistar, which owns several of the large alpine resorts in Sweden and Norway, they don't feel particularly threatened by the cheaper upstarts.

”"We do not see increased competition from the east," says Linda Morell, press manager at Skistar, who also believes that the survey is somewhat misleading.

”"You calculate the average cost of hotel nights, but in our destinations 90 percent of everyone lives in cabins or apartments, which is much cheaper."”

A survey from Länsförsäkringar shows that a week of sports holidays in the Swedish mountains is 10 percent more expensive this year compared to last year. Despite this, Skistar's bookings have increased by 1 percent so far this season compared to the previous year.

”"There is a high demand. Above all, we have seen an increased trend of going on ski holidays between school holidays," says Linda Morell.

But how long is it sustainable to raise prices?
”It’s hard to say. What we want to do is stay at the forefront and develop our destinations and concepts.”

The large Swedish resort of Åre is considered cheap in any case compared to the American luxury resort of Aspen, where prices are over three times as expensive as in the Jämtland mountains.

SHow expensive are some of the ski resorts?
Brezovica, Kosovo: 27
Pamporovo, Bulgaria: 51
Zakopane, Poland: 52
Sälen, Sweden: 81
Trysil, Norway: 90
Hemsedal, Norway: 90
Are, Sweden: 100
Bad Gastein, Austria: 116
Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy: 117
Chamonix, France: 122
Val d'Isere, France: 163
Whistler, Canada: 219
Aspen, USA: 329
Footnote: The costs are compared to Åre (index=100). Prices are calculated for week 9 2018.
Source: Forex skid index.

Source: di.se