Throughout the winter it's been possible to fly direct from London Gatwick to Åre/Östersund Airport with the UK's biggest airline, easyJet, and then reach two of the ski resort operator SkiStar's resorts, Åre and Vemdalen, by direct transfer. This increased accessibility for Londoners via easyJet's direct line, combined with the fact that more and more Britons are travelling to the ski resorts via a Stockholm to Åre/Östersund flights, have led to an upturn in ski tourism from the UK. Bookings at SkiStar's ski resorts, Åre and Vemdalen, are up 35%* on last year.

-It's great to see our collaboration with easyJet bearing fruit, alongside a general increase in interest for skiing holidays in the Nordic region coming from the UK. This excellent increase in visitors to our resorts from the UK is proof that people appreciate being able to have their morning cup of tea in London and then be able to enjoy skiing in Åre or Vemdalen just a few hours later via easy access, says Niclas Sjögren Berg, SkiStars ski resort manager for Åre.

Åre has been a familiar pin on the international skiing holiday map for years, and the upcoming FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2019 have helped spike interest further. As a village, Åre has an international flavour and the skiing is well suited to British visitors, alongside a high quality of restaurants, bars and nightlife. Vemdalen is something of a hidden pearl, and one that complements Åre really well. With its three destinations of Klövsjö, Björnrike and Vemdalsskalet, British visitors are attracted by its family-friendliness and well-prepared pistes. Skistar.com provides both information and booking in English, and British guests can tailor make their own skiing breaks. On the site, they can book accommodation, ski equipment and ski school lessons, as well as other skiing experiences such as off-piste tours or private ski-lessons.

-The UK is one of the largest skiing markets in Europe without its own ski resorts, so it's of great interest to us. As well as seeing that Londoners are getting more and more aware of Åre and Vemdalen, we are also seeing Britons discovering skistar.com. Fully 79% of bookings are made online, which is testament to the fact that the SkiStar brand, the content and booking on skistar.com are starting to become more well-known to British visitors, explains SkiStar's Director of Marketing and Sales, Mathias Lindström.

Booking statistics:

Increase at SkiStar Åre & Vemdalen: 35 %

Increase at SkiStar Åre: 37 %

Increase at SkiStar Vemdalen: 28 %

Proportion of total bookings made online: 79 %

For more information:

Niclas Sjögren Berg, SkiStar Åre +46 70 633 90 51

Mathias Lindström, SkiStar +46 76 125 62 92

*SkiStar's booking statistics compare to last year same period.