A downhill struggle

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Visitors won't find many of the après ski facilities that are part of the ski experience in many European resorts, and the other sporting activities on offer are less varied, but Iranians and expats living in Iran flock to the mountains in the ski season, both for the skiing itself and to experience the cold weather and snow.

"The ski resorts near Tehran - Dizin and Shemshak - are usable for about five months in a year," explains Aref Dashtban, manager of Tehran-based Pair Travel.

"It's a haven for ski lovers, with about a dozen runs ranging from novice to the most advanced. The vertical drop is around 10 kilometres."

To the north of Tehran, the Elborz mountains are home to a smaller ski resort called Tochal, which is popular for around five months a year thanks to the high altitude, and has a reputation for having good powder snow.

Europe

The ski resorts in Europe are renowned as some of the best in the world, with accommodation ranging from luxurious five-star hotels managed by international chains to boutique log chalets with outdoor jacuzzis and open fires and simple igloos complete with animal skins and oil lamps.

Austria and Switzerland remain the leading destinations for visitors from the Middle East, but France, Italy and the Czech Republic offer alternative options for skiers who want to avoid the busy slopes and crowded restaurants of Europe's trendiest resorts.

Austria is already a well-established destination and a handful of Middle Eastern visitors have begun to explore the resorts in Zell am See, Seefelf, Kitzbühel and Sankt Anton, according to Austrian National Tourist Office (ANTO) director Middle East Klaus Ehrenbrandtner.

He says the ANTO is now keen to promote combination holidays including skiing and spa and wellness breaks, and of the various destinations where this is possible, the Gastein Valley is the latest one to watch.

"It's a high-end winter sport destination, but also a health spot with traditional spas and a range of treatments," he explains.

Although the Arabic market has traditionally tended to visit ski resorts mainly just to experience the cold climate and snow for the first time, some of the resorts are reporting a shift in the pattern.

"When it comes to the Middle East two things that haven't been an issue for the last 30 years have become one - culture and winter sports," says Ehrenbrandtner.

"One thing I think is changing is that the locals - the upmarket holidaymakers - will now go to Austria and actually go skiing there. That's what I hear from the destinations like the Aulberg and the St Anton, Likch, Kitzbühel."

Emirates Holidays' Heinrich is also quick to endorse Austria: "A family looking for a mid-range ski holiday would go to Austria - probably Seefeld," he suggests.

"That's the all-round family destination for me because it is not too difficult in terms of the skiing; there is something for everybody. It also has all the other attractions, from ice-skating, to cross country skiing and even public swimming pools."

Austria was Emirates Holidays' biggest selling destination last season, he adds.

In Innsbruck - capital of the Austrian state of Tirol - the funicular railway leading up to the Nordpark ski area has been completely renovated, giving skiers fast access to the ski facilities at the top; passengers can now travel from the city centre to the top of the railway at 2300m in just 20 minutes.

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