Skiing Vacations For 2010 - Canada

There's plenty of great ski holidays available in Europe, so it's surprising perhaps that quite a few Europeans make the trip across the Atlantic to have a ski holiday in Canada.

Maybe it's less of a surprise perhaps when you consider that no fewer than 5 of Canada's ski resorts made Conde Nast Traveler's Top 20 Ski Destinations in the world. This fact doesn't surprise Canadians, who have always known that skiing in Canada is a cut above the rest, nor to the Europeans who make the effort to visit.

The travel poll was Conde Nast Traveler's 13th annual ranking of world class ski resorts. Whistler-Blackcomb, a regular on the list, came top.

Whistler-Blackcomb will play host to many of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games events. This fact is a testament to the resort's ability to compete with the world's best ski resorts. It is the official Alpine skiing venue for the Vancouver 2010 games.

It has already held several pre-Olympic races and events, with more to come leading up to the Games. Local tourism officials and business owners are thrilled with the attention the 2010 Olympic Games have already brought to Whistler-Blackcomb. They expect a great ski holidays season next year as the Games draw ever closer.

Sun Peaks Resort in Kamloops, British Columbia blasted onto Conde Nast's list, taking 10th place overall. It also makes it the second best in Canada. This Canadian Ski Holiday Resort is relatively new by some world standards and has Olympic ties. Former Canadian Olympic skiing champion Nancy Greene is the resort's director of skiing. Greene, a major investor and developer of the resort is pleased to see Sun Peaks getting the recognition it deserves.

Other Canadian ski resorts to make the top 20 were Mont Tremblant resort in Quebec (no. 12), Big White in Kelowna, British Columbia and Lake Louise in Alberta (tie for no. 16). This strong showing for skiing holidays in Canada will likely continue to boost winter tourism long after the Winter Olympics have come and gone.

Lake Louise, like Whistler-Blackcomb, frequently makes a strong showing on the international ski scene. Nestled deep in the Canadian Rockies, it boasts some of the world's most breathtaking scenery. This Canadian ski resort will play home to a number of pre-Olympic events and races beginning in December. Her pristine snow and quality runs make it a force to be contended with on the international ski holidays scene.

Hopefully for these as well as other popular ski in Canada holiday resorts, it will be a good year for snow. Those who were fortunate enough to obtain season passes for last year's skiing got their money's worth with good snowfall throughout the season.

The wintry weather isn't the only thing that makes a Canadian spring ski holiday appealing. The weak Canadian dollar means that visitors from other countries can get more bang for their ski buck. The Canadian dollar has been languishing at just under 80 cents U.S. for a while - that translates to an extra 20 percent for American visitors.

Many tourism experts agree that a nod from Conde Nast Traveler is a significant endorsement. Over 32,000 readers, many well-versed in travel, voted in the ski holiday poll. Thanks to their knowledge, the enthusiasm of Canadians and the impending winter Olympic Games, Canadian ski resorts are bracing for a healthy 2010 and beyond.