SnowJapan Admin SnowJapan#Andrew 6 Posted May 11, 2006 SnowJapan Admin Share Posted May 11, 2006 Our friends at Snow Hunter (based in Scotland) have published their annual study and comparison of lift ticket prices around the world. They compared high season six day adult and child lift pass prices for more than 300 of the world's leading ski resorts in 30 countries. There is currently hardly any Japan data in there at the moment (hopefully we will be helping change that situation), but we thought that this would be of interest to our readers. Thanks to Patrick for permission to post this. ========================== Key findings for 2005-6 are: The US has the world's most expensive six day lift pass in the world, priced at over $500 (￡280/ Euros 360). Iran is believed to have the cheapest lift ticket in the world, with a six day pass for the resort of Dizin (which has a good selection of chair and gondola lifts) falling 7% this year thanks to a weakening Iranian currency. The ticket costs ?26 ($32 US/￡17.80). Norway is marginally the most expensive destination in Europe for children, although kids don't pay until age seven and pay child rates until age 15 - the oldest child price ticket age in the world. Andorra is the second most expensive for children and asks children to pay from age six, then charges adult prices from age 12, the youngest 'adult age' pricing in Europe. By comparison Canada AND Switzerland have the best value children's lift ticket pricing in the world, typically a third to a half of the adult price. In Switzerland the low prices continue through to age 14 and a half, the second oldest average child price age in the world. In Canada there's a teen price bracket. Finland is also cheap for children, not because the discounts are big, but because adult prices are cheap in the first place. The US offers both the cheapest and most expensive tickets for children in the world, depending on which resort you choose (and how old your kids are). The most expensive lift pass in the world for a four year old is for the Mont Blanc region around Chamonix, coming in at Euros 168 (￡115/$200 US) for adventurous toddlers. The gap between the French Three Valleys and the Swiss Four Valleys lift passes has continued to grow since the French pass overtook the Swiss one several season ago, the Three Valleys now costs eight Euros more for six days. Switzerland was the only major skiing nation in the Alps where prices dropped (on average by 2.5%) in comparison to average Euro prices. Prices to North America were up around ten per-cent for travellers from Europe as last year's spectacular savings due to currency fluctuations begin to be lost as the dollar gains strength. The average age at which children have to pay for lift tickets is six years, one month. French resorts had the lowest average price at which children have to start paying, age four years, seven months. Average price for a child's six-day high season lift ticket is Euros 107.90 ($128.50 US, ￡73.80). Switzerland has the lowest average prices in the world (Euros 76.63, $90.00, ￡61.60). The five most expensive nations, on average, for child tickets are France, Italy, Andorra, Norway and the USA, all averaging within 10 Euros of each other. However children don't normally pay until aged over seven in Italy and Norway. In North America there is commonly a teen ticket price band before the full adult price is payable but this is rare in Europe. >> (If you are interested in the full report (which is available for purchase), please mail us here at Snow Japan and we will put you in contact with the right person.) Link to post Share on other sites
me jane 0 Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 Well if Bush hold off on his next war, I guess we'll be off to Iran next year then. Never even considered it as a ski destination. That's interesting. Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites
eskimobasecamp 0 Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 I'd be well up for some Iran pow and adventuring if you are up for it me jane? Link to post Share on other sites
daver 0 Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 i had taught some people that skied in iran prior to the revolution. they said it was actually great. BIG mountains there(highest is over 18,000ft), and the snow is, not surprisingly, dry. the area is the elburz mountains up in the northern section along the caspian sea. Link to post Share on other sites
klingon 10 Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 Quote: BIG mountains there(highest is over 18,000ft), and the snow is, not surprisingly, dry. Ignorant me, but why is it dry there? Because of the height? Link to post Share on other sites
me jane 0 Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 EBC - I was actually joking but now you've got me thinking about it! It would be great to get an SJ tour together & rent a chalet. I'd probably have to wait til the 2007/8 season cos I'm taking 3 or 4 months off work for the birth from Sept to Jan 06/07. Don't really know how things are going to go so I can't commit to anything at the mo. There doesn't seem to be that much info. Here are a few sites I found. A tour co. more info one more Any Iranian SJ's on here? Link to post Share on other sites
marnix 0 Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 Been there. Skiing in Iran is great especially for women (much shorter liftlines) and alcoholics (almost every gondola ride up I was offered (illegal) home made wodka. Dizin is nice resort all well above the treeline, but not much steep. For the FTs and Toques among us they should head out to Shemshak which is closer to Tehran, much smaller but more steeper/diverse terrain. Dizin is only a 2 hour suicide taxi ride from Tehran. Hitchhiking is very well possible too (this might be a tad saver) The snow is very dry because it comes from the south over some hot deserts. Link to post Share on other sites
marnix 0 Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 This stuff is interesting but having average pricing into 2 decimals is ridiculous. It doesn't make sense what so ever comparing USD with Euro's prices in this order. Just last week the USD fell more than 2 percent against the Euro. Link to post Share on other sites
daver 0 Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 looking through those sites has sparked an interest to travel there. sanno, when did you go? what is your impression? i have heard amazing stories of incredible people from folks that have went, but unfortunately the same people have had close calls. Link to post Share on other sites
marnix 0 Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 I was there at Christmas 2001. I had a great time. Staying with friends who had a cabin near Dizin then travelling through the country to Isfahan, Kerman and Bam (very cheap flights). Back to the snow for 1 day (Shemshak, rented a taxi for a day for $25). If I had the opportunity I would go back. It was 2 weeks of fun and the people are so nice. Everyone is very helpful. The problem is that women have to cover up and I heard a story of 2 Iranian girls that were arrested after talking to 2 foreigners. Even the ayatollah agrees with skiing entrance to Dizin ski resort (in the background part of the area) Mountain hut in Shamshak (there wasn't much snow, best to go is end of January) Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 Great stuff Sanno. Are you a Diplomat? Link to post Share on other sites
marnix 0 Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 I'm not, but my wife is. Link to post Share on other sites
brit-gob 9 Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 Very interesting. Decent facilities? Link to post Share on other sites
nzlegend 1 Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 I would be vary wary going to Iran if I was an American, you would want to have a passport from a country that didnt label Iran as part of the axis of evil or had bad relations with them. I saw a short news story once about skiing in Iran, men and women being segregated and all that. Like most places skiing was seen to be elitest, more so in Iran. Link to post Share on other sites
marnix 0 Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 Men and women aren't segregated anymore, only at certain liftlines (but that might change again). This results in ver short lines for women and long waiting time for men. It certainly is elitist. This is one advantage as most people on the slope will speak French or English. In certain countries and probably with certain nationalities the Iranian authorities play games with you when you apply for a visa. After 6 weeks and many phonecalls I got mine just 4 hours before the plane departed. But I heard from others who applied in Japan that is was pretty straightforward. Link to post Share on other sites
eskimobasecamp 0 Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 sanno - wow that's very cool by the way! me jane - yep i would definitely be well up for going on ski adventures in unchartered territories, sounds more interesting than france haha! i'd do it once i've left japan so 2008 could be a possibility - i'll be in the mountains, just not sure where yet - scandinavia, canada or... iran!!! start learning arabic now girl! Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 Arabic won't help much, Iranians speak Farsi. Link to post Share on other sites
me jane 0 Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 Quote: Originally posted by soubriquet: Arabic won't help much, Iranians speak Farsi. EBC, Let's hoping it's all love & peace with the US by 2008 then! Link to post Share on other sites
eskimobasecamp 0 Posted May 15, 2006 Share Posted May 15, 2006 Yeh for real, i'd actually like to travel through parts of the middle east and see historic sights and get into the mountains there - before they bomb the f*****g lot Link to post Share on other sites
minus 1 Posted May 17, 2006 Share Posted May 17, 2006 I'd like to try out some mad places like that as well. Love the pics, just looks so different from what I'm used to here. Link to post Share on other sites
ShinyDiscoBall 2 Posted May 18, 2006 Share Posted May 18, 2006 Anyone checked out the snow in Norway? Link to post Share on other sites
marnix 0 Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 Where in Norway? If have been in Kiruna, but that was at the end of the season so not much to say about the snow, but the scenic views are incredible with the Lofoten on your doorstep. As far as I understand from people who have been there more than once go to Are (Sweden) instead. Good skiing, nice girls, good apresski, but expensive beer. Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted May 19, 2006 Share Posted May 19, 2006 An old colleague of mine is actually in Norway since February and I'm keen to visit him to check the place out. Link to post Share on other sites
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