The Ski Holiday Is Changing

The first few winters are often governed by practicalities. Ski school needs to be close, transfers should be straightforward and getting children, skis and boots onto the mountain should not feel like an expedition. As children become more confident, however, those priorities begin to shift. The family may no longer ski together all day. Bigger mountains become more appealing, altitude starts to matter and lunch becomes a place to reconvene rather than simply refuel.

OROKO Travel has built its latest European winter collection around that progression, looking at how the right resort can change as a family’s needs evolve.

The company’s own booking data reflects the importance of family skiing, with families accounting for around 70% of its ski bookings. France remains particularly dominant, representing almost three quarters of OROKO’s European ski bookings, while almost half of its French bookings are to Les Arcs.

As confidence grows, the timing of the trip can become just as important as the resort itself. For February mid-term, OROKO particularly recommends Megève, where gentler terrain suits families still developing their skiing while the resort provides plenty to do away from the mountain.

Later in the season, altitude and snow reliability can become more significant considerations. Zermatt, rising to 3,883 metres, offers high-altitude skiing and the opportunity for confident skiers to cross into Cervinia in Italy before returning to Switzerland. Sölden, meanwhile, combines a high-altitude setting with two glaciers and a long season, making it another option when snow conditions are high on the list of priorities.

Lech illustrates that shift particularly well. Its 305km of Arlberg skiing is matched by a strong food and après-ski scene, where a long mountain lunch can become as much a part of the day’s plans as the next run. In Zermatt, restaurants such as Chez Vrony can similarly become destinations in their own right, with the day’s skiing planned around where the family wants to eat.

The composition of the group can change the equation too.

As children grow older, grandparents join trips or several families decide to travel together, accommodation becomes an increasingly important part of the experience. Families and groups may once have been happy to divide themselves between several hotel rooms, but a private chalet can offer a different kind of flexibility.

A shared house means that everyone can spend the day differently while still returning to the same place at the end of it. Children can come back from the slopes for afternoon tea, grandparents can take a quieter afternoon and stronger skiers can stay out longer, before everyone comes together again for dinner. For larger or multi-generational groups, the appeal is less about luxury for its own sake and more about having enough space to be together without having to spend every moment together.

OROKO’s winter collection includes catered and self-catered chalets and residences designed around different group sizes and styles of travel, from family-friendly properties in the French Alps to larger private homes in resorts such as Val d’Isère and Morzine.

The progression is not necessarily linear. A family might return to the same resort for years because it works for them, or choose something completely different as their priorities change. The point is that the definition of the ideal ski holiday can change with them.

There is no single perfect ski resort. There is a resort that works beautifully for a particular family, at a particular time.

Les Arcs: https://www.orokotravel.ie/itineraries/les-arcs from €2,799 per person.

Zermatt: https://www.orokotravel.ie/itineraries/zermatt-switzerland from €3,350 per person

Megève: https://www.orokotravel.ie/itineraries/megeve-france from €3,859 per person

Notes to Editors

Cailín Keaney, Managing Director of OROKO Travel, is available for comment on request.

Email: cailin@orokotravel.ie

Mobile: +353 87 763 6421

About OROKO Travel

OROKO Travel is Ireland’s leading luxury travel specialist, creating tailor-made journeys designed around each client’s pace, preferences and purpose. With first-hand destination expertise and a team of experienced Travel Designers, OROKO crafts seamless itineraries that combine exceptional accommodation, authentic experiences and meticulous attention to detail. From once-in-a-lifetime adventures and family holidays to honeymoons, cultural escapes and private journeys, every OROKO itinerary is thoughtfully designed to deliver meaningful travel experiences around the world. Licensed by the Irish Aviation Authority (TA 0782), OROKO Travel has been helping Irish travellers discover the world through expertly curated, bespoke holidays for more than two decades.