The budget of a corporate ski trip
A corporate ski trip is priced per person per day, and two quotes for the same group can differ by a factor of two. Here is what actually makes up the price, what makes it move, and where you can act.
We don’t publish prices, and that is deliberate
A « from €X » figure on a seminar website means almost nothing.
It always describes the most favourable scenario : a large group, midweek in a quiet period, in simple accommodation, with no transport and no supervised activity. As soon as your real situation departs from that — and it always does — the figure bears no relation to your quote.
We would rather give you the mechanics : what makes up the price, what carries weight, and the levers that genuinely move the total. With that, you can read any quote — ours or a competitor’s.
And if you want a number, three pieces of information are enough : headcount, duration, period. You get a range the same day.
The six lines of a quote, by weight
| Line | Weight in the budget | What makes it vary |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Accommodation | By far the heaviest | The period above all, then the standard and whether the group is housed in one place. An extra night is the real step change. |
| 2. Catering | The second line | The number of meals, the level (packed lunch / mountain restaurant / gala dinner) and drinks, which are routinely underestimated. |
| 3. Lift passes and equipment | Significant but predictable | The actual number of skiers — not total headcount. This is where surveying in advance saves money directly. |
| 4. Supervised activities | Varies with the programme | The supervision ratio the activity imposes. Husky sledding structurally costs more than biathlon : you need one musher per sled. |
| 5. Transport | Mostly distance-driven | Coach costs dilute with headcount : the larger the group, the less it weighs per person. |
| 6. Meeting rooms and AV | The lightest | Often included with accommodation for a whole-group booking. Becomes a real line above 100 people or with sound and video requirements. |
A serious quote itemises these six lines. If it arrives as a single global figure with no breakdown, you can neither compare it nor adjust it.
Four factors, very unequal
Companies often negotiate the programme when the lever lies elsewhere. This is the real order of influence.
The period
Factor number one, by a wide margin. Moving a trip from February to mid-March does more for your budget than every other negotiation combined. See seasonality.
The duration
Each night adds accommodation and two meals. But the cost does not double, because transport, lift passes and supervision do not follow at the same rate.
The headcount
It cuts both ways. A large group dilutes transport and supervision, but sharply narrows the choice of properties able to house it — which can cost more than the economy of scale.
The resort
Less decisive than people assume. On identical dates, the gap between a village and a large high-altitude resort is real but moderate. See destinations.
Six levers to bring the cost down
Without removing anything that gives the trip its value.
Shift by one week
The most powerful and least costly lever. Stepping outside French school holidays changes everything, including the quality of the trip.
Offer two periods
Flexibility on dates is worth more than negotiation : it lets us find availability at the right moment.
Survey the actual skiers
Lift passes and hire often concern only half the group. Buying them for everyone out of administrative convenience is pure expenditure.
One highlight, not three
One supervised activity per day is enough — and produces a better trip than a saturated programme. The saving is direct.
Group the transport
Above 25 people, a coach often costs less than reimbursed mileage, and you avoid the delays.
Book early
In autumn for January or March. Later, you are no longer negotiating : you are taking what remains, at the price it remains.
The lines people forget to cost
These are what turn a controlled budget into an overrun.
We include them systematically in our proposals, but they are often missing from the quotes being compared — which creates the illusion of a price gap that does not exist.
The evening is where quotes diverge most : venue, drinks, entertainment and supervision may be included… or not.
Budget : your questions
How do we get a figure quickly ?
Three pieces of information are enough for a range : headcount, duration and period. With those we come back the same day with an order of magnitude, and within 48 working hours with a proposal itemised line by line.
Is there a single quote, or do we pay each supplier ?
One quote and one invoice, covering accommodation, catering, meeting rooms, lift passes, equipment, activities, supervision and transfers. That is the main reason to work with an incoming agency rather than coordinating six suppliers yourself.
Can we adjust after receiving the quote ?
Yes, and it is expected. The first proposal mainly exists to establish a basis for discussion : lighten one line, strengthen another, change resort or shift by a week. Revisions are not charged.
Is there a minimum group size ?
We organise from around ten participants. Below twenty the cost per person rises mechanically, because supervision and transport no longer dilute ; we then steer towards chalet formats, which are usually a better fit.
What are the payment and cancellation terms ?
They are set out in our terms and conditions, sent with every commercial proposal. They follow the terms of the properties reserved for you, and are given to you before you commit to anything.
Headcount, duration, period
Give us those three and you get a range the same day, an itemised proposal within 48 working hours. No obligation.