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Euro Ski Slump
Turns Andorra Family Friendly For 2008 Season by Paul la Vella
European ski holiday country
Andorra has transformed her holiday image over the last 20 years from a
'poor man's Switzerland' to a fully functional ski country able to compete
with other European countries during the December to April European ski
season.
So successful has the transformation
been that nearly ten million tourists visit the country each year, with
a blip this year after later than normal snow fall.
And for next year's ski season
Andorra has opened a new family friendly ski park in Arinsal, moving away
further still from her old image of a cheap and cheerful ski holiday for
18-30 year olds to one that caters well for all.
 The
snow park includes a conveyor belt and a game zone, designed to give children
confidence before they ski and use the chair lifts.
Well known ski villages in
Andorra include Soldeu and Ordino as well as Arinsal.
Other new developments in
Andorra for the 2007 ski season include a 540 space underground car park
in La Massana close to the cable car, and an extension of the beginners
area in Arinsal.
Commenting on the new facilities,
an Andorra travel guide claims that the investment in Andorra's infrastructure
is ongoing, and will allow Andorra to compete with other ski areas in Europe
for years to come.
Looking Forward
As well as being a top ski
destination, Andorra is also a tax haven, with many people moving to the
country to benefit from her income tax free status.
Property prices have risen
dramatically over the last ten years, and according to Andorra real estate
specialists two bedroom apartments now start from around 250,000 Euros.
Buying a property in Andorra
is often seen as a route to residency, which entitles people to live in
Andorra and benefit from her tax haven status.
To obtain residency in Andorra,
applications need to be submitted in Catalan. A notarised copy of the applicants
passport, birth certificate and a certificate of good conduct from the
home country are submitted at the same time. Residency normally takes between
three and six months to be approved.
Once residency is granted,
residents are supposed to spend six months a year in Andorra, but this
isn't policed.
One of the drawbacks for
those looking to become a resident in a tax haven when considering Andorra
has been that the country has no airport of its own, and is unlikely to
have in the future given that it is located in the Pyrenees. The nearest
airports are Barcelona and Toulouse.
But recent improvements in
the road from Barcelona to Andorra though have cut the travelling time
by some thirty minutes to two hours fifteen minutes.
'Given the tax advantages
Andorra has', note the travel guide, 'A two and a quarter hour trip to
the nearest international airport could be viewed as a small price to pay
for those who will be saving substantial amounts of money in tax. Especially
when you consider that their properties could be rising in value quite
significantly in the years to come, and for those who like skiing it's
a holiday and tax haven rolled into one.'
About the Author
For more details about Andorra,
including the Soldeu
ski resort, hotels and expedia ski holidays visit YourAndorra.com |
