The recent cold snap in the UK has lead to a surge in bookings for European ski accommodation specialist Pierre & Vacances, particularly in the lesser-known ski resorts across the Alps and Pyrenees, where sales have increased on average by 17%.

Is the thought of gliding down slopes on perfectly powdery snow under clear blue skies occupying both your sleeping and waking hours but the cost of a ski holiday is putting you off this year?

Over a quarter (26 per cent) of Britons are sacrificing their holidays this year because of the recession, according to a recent poll by Eurolines.

Well don’t despair. Another survey indicates that 80 per cent of skiers who dropped their annual ski holiday last season are planning to return to the slopes this season.

And skiers and snowboarders are becoming savvier at finding ways to cut costs in these credit crunched times.

Austria’s Tirol region, home to many of the country’s most famous resorts, has issued a list of ideas for skiers and boarders who don’t want to miss out on their annual ski holiday despite the credit crunch, but want to cut costs as far as they can without compromising on quality.

First off Tirol recommend you choose your resort carefully and “Stay three star but ski five star.” They point out that just a stone’s throw away from some of the world’s top ski areas are lesser known cosy mountain villages that remain the best value for money, offering genuine and authentic Tirolean hospitality.

If you’re a skier on a budget this year — then you’re in luck! With the global economic downturn still pinching hard, most hard working families and professionals may not take the financial plunge of going skiing this year. However for those that do, there will be some fantastic bargains available as well as opportunities to save a lot of money.