European Ski Holidays 2009 - Andorra

The French Pyrenees are known for being a skier's nirvana. Located on the borders of Spain and France, they offer skiers some of the best slopes in the world. Though many visitors choose to stay in either Spain or France, there is one more option. For the best in skiing, services and hospitality, the tiny country of Andorra should be your holiday destination. It's got everything that you need at half the price.
Andorra is located in the Pyrenees surrounded by Spain and France. Once an isolated and unknown land, it is now a highly prosperous country because of its tourism industry. At an average of 83.5 years, the people of Andorra claim the highest life expectancy in the world. Because of its position within the mountains, the country doesn't have much in common with the rest of Europe, except for Spain and France. It's gone through many changes over the years, like being occupied by France and declaring war on imperial Germany during World War I.
Today, Andorra enjoys its status as the skiing tourist's hotspot. Nine million visitors come to the country every year to enjoy its slopes and world class resorts. Its duty free status is another reason that it has so many visitors, as goods can be purchased much cheaper than in the rest of Europe.
Grandvalira, the largest ski resort in Andorra, is getting more visitors every year. The resort reports that despite the global downturn there could be as many visitors this year as last.
Beacuse of an abundance of snowfall, the resort opened earlier than usual. This fact combined with great conditions over Christmas and for the whole of January gave Grandvalira one of its most successful seasons in recent memory.
Andorra skiers in the New Year enjoyed a metre of snowpack and powdered snow. With the snowfall the resort was able to maintain 100% percent ski lift use and 95 percent slope use, some of the highest numbers in the Pyrenees region. These conditions kept skiers coming from all around the globe, and as many as one and a half million skiers could have enjoyed the slopes over the course of the season.
An extra reason that Grandvalira experienced such an increase in tourist traffic was the celebration of Pas de la Casa's fiftieth anniversary. Pas de la Casa was the original name of the ski resort that was integrated into Grandvalira. To celebrate this, Grandvalira presented a full schedule of events for visitors. They included various sporting events, a skier's statue inauguration, and a week dedicated to the history of the resort's cuisine. Even Mickey Mouse got in on the action by making an appearance at the ski and snowboard school for photos.
In recent years, France and Spain have had their share of tourists, but Andorra has also been a very popular winter destination. From skiing the many miles of slopes to shopping for luxury items in duty free shops, the tiny country of Andorra has something for every winter holidaymaker. Its tiny size makes it ideal for focusing on skiing. Hopefully, next year's season will be even better than the last, and the snow will keep coming down for the 2009-2010 season too.

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