Because of the credit crunch snowboarding bookings decreased this winter.

This is despite of cracking pre season bookings along with fantastic snow.

These falls in snowboarders comes after six seasons of sequential growth in the skiing industry, and the numbers decreased from 1 million in 2008 to under a million last season.

This is partly due to holiday makers giving the season a miss, and other skiers who would typically take two skiing holidays, merely had the one.

The independent travel sector fell by 15% and several no frills airlines slashing the amount of airplanes to several cities.

Moreover tour operators witnessed the bookings reducing by around 15%.

However, the leading tour operators share of the market rested at 70% and the French Alps continued to remain the most visited skiing destination with about 37% of holidays.

Because of this several large tour operators slashed the number of luxury ski chalets they operate this coming season.

Luxury catered chalets in particular are going to see a reduction in skiers in light of the fact that a luxury catered chalet costs the operator more in terms of chefs and hosts and lease if it is not sold.

It remains unlikely we shall find the deals on last minute ski holidays that were on the market last winter.

And prices are likely to go up, costs are unlikely to rise much.

This winter presents real challenges for an industry that is influenced by the effects of the depression, exchange rate pressures, soaring costs of fuel as well as large fixed running costs for snowboarding companies.

Next winter holidaymakers will be more cost aware, this will contribute to a reversion of the trends of the last years that saw a development in independent travel.