Travel Niches: Family Ski Vacations
by John Hawks

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Families, however, present a different challenge. If your clients want to escape for a ski weekend with their better halves, their children, and even more friends and family members in tow, you should talk specifically about several issues that must be addressed before you place a deposit on their trip. For example, you should assess -- in very realistic terms -- the skiing abilities of the children, especially the younger ones (preschoolers and elementary school ages). Unless those younger kids are truly gifted at skiing, they may not appreciate three or four days of being stuck in the lodge!

For middle-school children and teenagers, you should investigate which ski resorts offer the best ski school programs -- training sessions from beginner to advanced levels -- as well as entertainment options and meal programs designed to appeal to all ages.

If your clients want to escape to one of America's all-around ski resorts -- with services and slopes for beginners to experts -- you can plan their trip to famed spots like Smugglers' Notch in Vermont, the Canyons in Utah, Steamboat Springs in Colorado, or Bretton Woods in New Hampshire.

On the other hand, if they're looking especially for family-friendly ski resorts with well-developed ski school and camp programs, you can suggest options such as Winter Park in Colorado, Northstar at Tahoe in California, or Boyne Mountain in Michigan.

Some ski areas like Keystone Resort in Colorado have begun promoting the "ski village" concept in recent years -- one central area for the basic services, with "spokes" of activity for skiers of different skill levels and ages. The big advantage is that the family members can roam freely throughout the day, enjoying skiing at their levels, while gathering back in the evenings for dinner and other activities. There's truly a wide range of family-friendly ski resorts out there for your clients!

Want to learn more about selling family ski packages? Consider signing up for the Travel Institute's lifestyle specialist course on skiing!