Cross-border travellers are shaping ski-season growth
Most ski trips still take place within travellers’ home countries, but journeys across borders are playing a growing role in overall growth. German skiers stand out as the most likely to travel abroad, making up the largest group of travellers visiting ski resorts outside their home market this season. Germany and Italy also saw some of the fastest growth in skier numbers compared with last year, each close to 20%.
Skiing is also attracting travellers from further afield. In particular, Brazilian skiers showed the fastest increases year over year, with countries such Australia, Mexico, India and Canada also on the rise. Meanwhile, the United States remained the largest non-European source market, accounting for around 1 in 4 of all new ski travellers to Europe.
Why it matters
As ski travel becomes more international, the winter season becomes a moment to plan for travellers who expect the same ease of payment, access, and benefits wherever they go – especially when booking and spending outside their home market.
International ski trips focus more on experiences
Across all ski trips, spending on essentials – such as accommodation, food, and groceries – continues to make up a large share of total spend. However, how that money is spent differs depending on where travellers come from.
People skiing closer to home tend to spend more on groceries and everyday items, often reflecting longer stays and more self-catered trips. Travellers coming from abroad, on the other hand, spend a larger share on experiences. Restaurants, après-ski venues, entertainment, and shopping – such as clothing and accessories – play a bigger role in their overall budget.
Why it matters
When people travel further for skiing, they tend to spend more on dining, leisure, and shopping. Recognising this shift helps shape offers and benefits that go beyond travel basics and reflect how travellers want to enjoy their time away.
International skiers pack more spend into fewer days²
These differences show up clearly in overall trip spend. Ski trips abroad are typically more expensive, with average daily spend per card around $100 – more than double that of domestic ski trips, which average closer to $45 per day. Austrian resorts recorded the highest daily spend on average, followed by Swiss and French destinations.
Despite the higher daily cost, international ski trips are usually shorter. Domestic ski holidays last around two days longer on average, a gap that has grown slightly as local trips have extended while trips abroad have stayed about the same length.
Why it matters
Higher daily spend packed into shorter trips means that a large share of value is created in just a few days. Being present and relevant during those days matters more than trying to stretch engagement across the full season.
Ski travel follows clear seasonal patterns
The ski season continues to have well defined peaks. The period just after Christmas and into early January stands out as the busiest time of the season, accounting for the highest level of overall ski activity. This New Year peak is mainly driven by travellers visiting from other countries or nearby regions.
Local skiers tend to start earlier, with a greater share of trips already taking place in November and December. Travellers from further away show a more concentrated pattern, with most trips happening around the holiday period. In some markets, peak travel shifts later into February, reflecting differences in school holidays and travel habits.
Why it matters
Because ski travel peaks at the same points each year, there are clear moments to engage travellers – before they leave, while they are on the slopes, and as they return – without needing to be active all season long.
Skiing continues to attract premium lifestyle travellers
People who spend more on lifestyle and leisure continue to play a major role in the ski economy. Around one in four ski travellers shows higher end spending behaviour³, a noticeably larger share than in the general population. On average, these travellers spend about 56% more per ski trip and are more likely to travel abroad, with higher spend on hotels and restaurants than other skiers.
At the same time, skiing is becoming more popular among the wider public. Participation among lower spending skiers has grown, showing that the sport is reaching beyond its traditional audience while still appealing strongly to those who spend more.
Why it matters
Skiing brings together frequent premium spenders and a growing group of more occasional travellers. This makes it a useful moment to both deepen relationships with established customers and spot rising spenders earlier in their journey.
How Visa Consulting & Analytics can help
Visa Consulting & Analytics works with organisations to turn travel behaviour into practical insights. Tools such as the Travel and Flight Data Package provide a view of spending before, during, and after travel, while Advanced Portfolio Optimizer (APO) helps uncover premium lifestyle cardholders, based on their spend behaviour, even if the customer doesn’t own a gold, platinum or infinite card today.
Together with Visa’s wider experience in travel and lifestyle propositions, these insights help shape more relevant and well timed approaches to winter travel.
²Average card spend for Visa cardholders
³Premium lifestyle cardholders identified either through the use of premium card products or luxury-oriented spending behaviour