New Airport by Andorra
A new airport could be built just over the border in Spain in Seu d’Urgell.
Andorran slopes in reach of jet set
The airport would be about 15 minutes away from the tiny principality high up in The Pyrenees.
It is due to open in 2010.
However it will only be able to take smaller planes of up to 80 passengers and will not be large enough to take the medium and larger planes used by package tour operators.
At the moment they use Toulouse in France or Barcelona in Spain and there is then a coach journey of 2–3 hours.
For most skiers therefore the airport will not aid their journey to the slopes of Andorra.
GOING UP
It’s all part of the Principality’s attempt to re-invent itself. Andorra is now modelling itself on Monaco rather than Ibiza. An airport that is able to take private jets and small planes will help this.
Pas de la Casa aims higher
A decade ago Andorra was a by-word for cheap skiing all fuelled by duty-free booze. The skiing was fairly average, the facilities limited and some resorts were barely on speaking terms with each other.
Now that has changed.
Andorra decided to try to attract the mid to upper end of the ski market. It spent millions of euros on improving the lift systems and installing snow cannons. The resorts of Pas de la Casa and Soldeu buried their differences and joined up to become know as Grand Valira.
Arcalis and Arinsal also launched a joint lift pass.
BUILDING BOOM
Andorra also wants to attract rich people so they can benefit from its tax-free arrangements and has invested huge sums of money in upgrading its hotels and other facilities.
Building boom
There has been a property boom with prices going up around 10% per year for the last few years. There’s been an explosion of building works but some warn that if it is not restricted then the landscape could be ruined.
Andorra is about the same size as The Isle of Wight.
The proposed new airport will undoubtedly helps its drive to go more upmarket.
However by pushing up the prices Andorra has lost some of its main client base. The budget skier or boarder now heads to eastern Europe.
In 2005/06 11.9% of British skiers and boarders went to Andorra but last season it fell to 11.1%. It remains to be seen whether the relentless growth of Andorra in the British market over the last decade has stalled or peaked.
http://www.skiclub.co.uk/skiclub/news/story.asp?intStoryID=5082
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