The Mayor: Val Thorens in France declared World’s Best Ski Resort 2019

Tue 03 December 2019

French ski resort Val Thorens received the top prize at the 7^th World Ski Awards for the fourth consecutive year, winning recognition as World’s Best Ski Resort for 2019.

Hosted at the refurbished A-ROSA Kitzbühel, World Ski Awards 2019 brought together representatives from ski nations across Asia, Europe, Oceania and The Americas. The gala ceremony on 23 November awarded leaders in the ski tourism industry in a range of categories, from best resorts, hotels and chalets to tour operators and travel agents. There was an overall World section and a separate one that selected the best within a country. 

Votes were submitted online at the World Ski Awards website by ski industry professionals – senior executives, travel buyers, tour operators, agents and media – and by the public. 214 locations across 5 continents participated in the 16-week online race, and a record number of about 2.5 million people (customers and professionals) from more than 143 countries took part in the voting.

This year’s awards were again dominated by European entrants. Joining Val Thorens, Switzerland’s LAAX was declared World’s Best Freestyle Resort for a fourth year in a row.

In the best hotels category, W Verbier (Switzerland) was picked up as World’s Best Ski Hotel 2019, Italy‘s Le Massif was voted World’s Best New Ski Hotel and Valsana Hotel & Appartements (Switzerland) was given the prize of World’s Best Green Ski Hotel. Chalet Les Anges in Zermatt was named ‘World’s Best Ski Chalet’.

Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel was singled out as World’s Best Ski Resort Company.

Bansko in Bulgaria with a double win

Bulgaria’s leading ski resort of Bansko marked its 7^th run in the Awards with a new double win. It was declared Bulgaria’s Best Ski Resort and the 5-star Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko was named Bulgaria’s Best Ski Hotel. Acknowledging other skiing destinations within the country, voters recognized Alpin Hotel in Borovets as Bulgaria’s Best Ski Boutique Hotel, while Villa Gella in the Rhodopes village of Gella was named Bulgaria’s Best Ski Chalet 2019.

The prize-giving ceremony marked the climax of a three-day itinerary that included exclusive networking events, gourmet dinners, site-seeing tours, as well as private skiing on Kitzbühel’s legendary Hahnenkamm.

Launched in 2013, World Ski Awards is the only global initiative to recognise, reward and celebrate excellence in the ski hospitality industry. It is the sister organisation of World Travel Awards which currently marks its 26th anniversary.