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Alpine ski resort property owners facing slower start to the winter rental season

Recently owners of property in ski resorts in the Alps have had to worry about global warming and sparse snow conditions. This season they have snow in abundance but bookings are down.

'It is difficult to make exact predictions at this stage on visitor numbers,' said a spokeswoman for the tourist office in Courchevel, one of France's most popular resorts. 'But owners have been saying that January is looking very thin and they are considering lowering their prices,' she added.

Right now resorts in the Alps are boasting abundant snow, bright skies, and perfect powder, but there's little cheer as they look towards the New Year.

Mother Nature is at least on our side,' said Daniel Luggen, head of tourism in Zermatt, Switzerland. 'There is no panic about the financial crisis, but there's concern of course,' he added.

The strong euro is making the cost of renting property for a winter break more expensive this year. As is the appreciating currency in Switzerland with the Swiss franc continuing its upward trend.

Edith Zweifel of Switzerland Tourism said the strong currency could result in a drop of around 7% in visitors from other EU countries and any decline is expected to show itself in January. 'After the festive season people will be more sensitive about the amount of money they can spend each day,' she said.

Property owners might have to reduce rental prices to secure bookings. Ski resorts in Europe expect fewer American and British visitors and a levelling off of Arab and Russian tourists known for their lavish spending.

But in France and Italy commentators hope that their own nationals will keep bookings strong as they stay at home rather than go abroad and save money on air costs etc.

Gianfranco Talamini, director of a Skipass office in Cortina d'Ampezzo, northern Italy, said Italians will still take their ski holiday but it might be a shorter break than normal. 'They might spend fewer days in the mountains but they won't give up their ski holiday,' he said.

And in France Christian Rochette, director of Ski France International, said that the number of foreigners at French ski stations is expected to jump at least 5% this year. He expects more people to drive to resorts.

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