Revealed: The best skiing overseas holiday destinations your money can buy

YOU might think heading to the Aussie slopes is the best way to have fun this winter, but it’s often cheaper in some surprising places.

AS SKIERS across the country pack their cars and head for family holidays snowside, they may be better off booking a flight and jetting overseas to Japan, New Zealand or even Canada, according to experts.

HITTING THE AUSSIE SLOPES

The benefits of staying local are the lack of transport costs. Melbourne skiers can be on the chairlift after an easy two-hour drive, Canberrans in under three hours, while Sydneysiders have a longer six-hour journey ahead — a drive that is easily doable if you leave before dawn or stay a night in Queanbeyan or Cooma.

But when you’re there, snow isn’t a given, and daily costs are expensive. Lift passes, accommodation — even food and drink — will hurt your hip pocket more than travelling overseas, but you don’t have the added cost of flights to get you there.

“If you were going to Thredbo in July or August, you will pay $7000 for ski rentals, lift tickets and seven nights in a four-star, one-bedroom apartment,” Connie Adams of TravelManagers said.

“Obviously getting to Australian ski fields is cheaper if you drive, but they are not always guaranteed snow and the lifts are generally busy and congested during those peak times.

“The village in Niseko, Japan, has a lot of apartment-style accommodation, giving families an easy option to stay together with lounge and kitchen facilities, and groceries and eating out is cheaper in comparison to Australian ski resort prices.”

Snowboarders seen at Mt Buller in Victoria. Picture: Aaron Francis/The Australian

SNAG CHEAP FLIGHTS AND HEAD TO JAPAN

With prices based on peak school holiday period, Ms Adams said a Japan ski package airfare to Sapporo, travelling until the end of January, was $6000 for two adults and two children, dropping to $4000 in February.

“Add another $7000 for ski rentals, lift tickets, seven nights in a four-star, two-bedroom accommodation, and return transfers to Niseko,” she said.

“In Japan you are guaranteed snow in late December through to March, so it is probably worth paying the extra to go to Japan, and booking in advance.

Angus Kidman, travel expert at finder.com.au, said the cost of hiring skis and lift passes was generally cheaper in Japan than the snowfields of NSW or Victoria, leaving flights the main cost barrier to get there.

“If you get in early on Jetstar sale flights to Japan, then you can score a cheaper ski holiday — just be cautious of the extra charges if you’re bringing your own board or skis,” Mr Kidman told news.com.au.

“Let’s be honest, snowfall can be a bit sketchy in Australia, so if you’ve booked months in advance, you might encounter average snow in Thredbo.

“Japan is renowned for having some of the best powder snow and snowfall is much more dependable.”

Snowboarders hike up the Backcountry Trail at Mt Annupuri in Niseko.

NEW ZEALAND, NOW

Renowned for its snow coverage, New Zealand has long called Aussie skiers abroad — but with one serious downfall. Most snowfields are not ski-in, ski-out, so you would be driving about 45 minutes to and from the slopes every day, which isn’t always favourable at the end of a long, hard day on your feet.

But that’s not stopping us, as cheap and quick flights make New Zealand an easy option for good snow, guaranteed.

Forget Queenstown, Mt Hutt could be New Zealand’s best kept secret

Michele Levine, CEO of Roy Morgan, said the number of Australians choosing to travel overseas for skiing and snowboarding holidays has been consistently climbing, tracking the increasing value of the Aussie dollar.

In 2016 that was 30 per cent — a figure that is now up to 46 per cent, Ms Levine announced this week, with research showing New Zealand as one of the most popular overseas spots for Aussie skiers and snowboarders.

“It appears the taste Australians got for overseas holidays when the value of the Australian dollar soared above parity has opened the eyes of many Australians to the abundance of skiing and snowboarding opportunities in overseas destinations such as Japan, North America, and our near neighbour New Zealand,” she said.

Skiing the mountain above Queenstown. Picture: 100% Pure New Zealand

ARE CANADA AND THE US WORTH THE TRIP?

Diehard skiers will know the answer is always yes, if you can stomach the flight costs. The terrain is bigger with more runs, more snow and more mountains — which also mean more people. The crowds at Whistler during peak times of December and January can see you wait an hour for a chairlift — much to the frustration of those who love the rush of run after run. But if you avoid weekends and public holidays — and book a year in advance for the best flight deals — the rewards speak for themselves.

Ben Cardenas from Travelplan Ski, said accommodation in Thredbo for seven nights in a moderate, self-contained two-bedroom apartment would cost a family $5397 — 30 per cent more than Furano, Japan, which would set you back $3,900. Even cheaper still was accommodation at Coronet Leak, New Zealand ($2319 for seven days), and Panorama, Canada, which was as little as $1297.

He said lift passes and ski rental for a family of four for six days was $2498 in Thredbo, or $1421 in Canada.

He said Canadian resorts such as Panorama were hard to beat for value-for-money for families due to their early-bird discounts.

“We find overseas ski trips become more cost-effective the longer you stay — like stay 14, pay nine at Lumiere, Telluride, or 40 per cent off for more than 14 nights at The Giant, Aspen,” Mr Cardenas said.

“Likewise, there are lift pass products like the Aspen Snowmass SKI30 and Icon Pass which can pay for themselves once you ski more than a week.

“But Australian resorts you benefit from proximity ideal for short-trips, waiting last-minute to see the weather, and skiing with eucalyptus trees.”

Grouse Mountain Ski Resort, Vancouver, Canada. Picture: Grouse Mountain