Abta: France no 1 ski destination

People going on skiing holidays are most likely to jet off to one of the many resorts in France than anywhere else, according to the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta).

Frances Tuke, PR manager for the association, said that Europe is by far the world's top destination for skiing holidays and France is the most popular spot within the continent, followed by Austria.

"Europe is definitely the most popular, with France being number one and Austria number two," she said.

"Austria used to be the favourite destination but that has changed now. Some time ago, after the French started to build up their resorts, France took over because of the convenience and the sheer scale of the resorts."

Ms Tuke went on to explain that the top three times of the year for skiing holidays are new year, Christmas and February half-term.

However the Abta spokesperson also highlighted the risks of going skiing, describing it as "quite a dangerous activity" and emphasising the need for insurance.