Erna Low

What Erna Low does

Erna Low is a UK-based, privately held ski holiday tour operator founded in 1932, making it one of the longest-established ski specialists in the British market. The company sells fully customisable ski holiday packages across European resorts in France, Italy, Austria, Andorra, and Bulgaria, covering accommodation (apartments, chalets, hotels, lodges), flights, self-drive options, transfers, equipment hire (via Skiset), ski lessons (via ESF), and lift passes. Customers can book accommodation first and add components later, with deposits starting at £99 and a price-match guarantee that promises to beat any competitor's price.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model through its website (ernalow.co.uk), phone sales (0203 011 1222, Mon-Fri 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-4pm), live chat, and in-resort representatives. ATOL and ABTOT financial protection underpin consumer trust, and the company promotes 5-star Trustpilot ratings alongside a "9 out of 10 clients would recommend" claim. Underlying technology comprises an online booking platform with package customisation, a Carbon Footprint Calculator for sustainability comparison across travel modes, a 41+ post content blog, and an A-Z Ski Glossary. The current registered office is at Beech House, Gatley Road, Cheadle SK8 1PY, with a small management team led by Rebecca Dodson (Head of Sales) and Jane Bolton (Head of Product).

Erna Low generates revenue primarily through transaction fees and commissions on accommodation bookings, complete package holidays, and ancillary ski extras (ski passes, equipment rental, lessons, transfers, travel insurance). Customer segments are predominantly families and groups, with secondary segments in beginner/intermediate skiers and premium travelers seeking bespoke experiences. Marketing is conducted through SEO-optimised resort pages, content marketing (blog and glossary), Instagram, email newsletters, and Trustpilot-driven referral. No funding rounds, acquisitions, or institutional investors are disclosed; the company appears wholly owned by founders or private shareholders.

Name

Erna Low

Legal name

Erna Low

Website

https://ernalow.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Erna Low is a UK-based, privately held ski holiday tour operator founded in 1932, selling fully customisable package holidays across European resorts in France, Italy, Austria, Andorra, and Bulgaria via a direct-to-consumer website, phone, and live-chat model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ski Holiday Tour Operator

NAICS

Tour Operators (56152), Tour Operators (561520), Travel Agencies (561510)

akta.pro primary industry

Winter Adventure & Mountain Resorts (Ski, Snowboard, Snow Activities) (THAAAAAK)

Keywords

• Ski holiday packages
• Ski tour operator
• Ski accommodation booking
• Ski extras add-ons
• European ski holidays

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Package Holidays: Fully customisable ski holiday packages including accommodation, flights, transfers, equipment hire, ski passes, and lessons. Customers can book components separately or as complete packages.
2. Accommodation Bookings: Commission from ski-in/ski-out hotels, chalets, apartments, and lodges across European ski resorts in France, Italy, Austria, Andorra, and Bulgaria.
3. Ski Extras: Ancillary revenue from ski passes, equipment rental, ski school lessons, transfers, and travel insurance add-ons.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Erna Low sells fully customisable ski holiday packages to UK consumers travelling to European resorts in France, Italy, Austria, Andorra, and Bulgaria. Customers can book accommodation only or bundle flights, transfers, ski equipment hire, ski school lessons, and lift passes into a single package, with bookings secured from a £99 deposit and supported by ATOL/ABTOT financial protection and expert in-house advice.

Product overview

Erna Low operates as a ski holiday booking platform offering fully customisable ski holiday packages. The core product is Ski Holidays, which functions as a unified booking service combining accommodation (apartments, chalets, hotels), travel (flights, self-drive, transfers), equipment (ski hire in four tiers), ski lessons (via ESF partner schools), and lift passes. Additional services include a Carbon Footprint Calculator for sustainability tracking, a Ski Blog with resort guides and tips, and a Ski Glossary for terminology. All offerings are available à la carte or bundled into complete package holidays, positioning Erna Low as a one-stop shop for ski travel planning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ski Holiday Packages Fully customisable ski holiday packages offering accommodation, flights, transfers, equipment hire, ski lessons, and lift passes as all-in-one booking solutions for UK consumers travelling to European ski resorts.
• Ski Accommodation Range of self-catering apartments, chalets, lodges, and hotels across European ski resorts in France, Italy, Austria, Andorra, and Bulgaria, bookable standalone or as part of a ski holiday package.
• Ski Flights Flight options bundled with or added to accommodation as part of ski holiday packages for travellers flying to European ski destinations.
• Self-Drive Ski Holidays Self-drive ski holiday packages including channel crossing options for budget-conscious UK travellers seeking flexible, independent travel to European ski resorts.
• Ski Transfers Transfer services including private, shared, and airport transfers with experienced chauffeurs operating from airports such as Geneva to European ski resorts.
• Ski Equipment Hire Ski and snowboard equipment rental available in four ability-based tiers (Eco for beginners, Evolution for improvers, Sensation for confident intermediates, Excellence for advanced skiers) for adults and children from age 3.
• Ski Lift Passes Lift passes for European ski resorts bookable as an add-on to accommodation or as part of a complete ski holiday package.
• Ski School Lessons Ski lessons booked via partner ski schools such as the École du Ski Français (ESF) in Valmorel, offering group and private instruction in multiple languages plus children's clubs and snowboard tuition.
• Carbon Footprint Calculator Travel sustainability tool that estimates per-passenger carbon emissions for different travel modes (flight, self-drive, ferry/LeShuttle) to ski destinations, helping customers compare environmental impact of their travel choices.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9 out of 10 clients would recommend Erna Low
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Powder Byrne: UK-based luxury ski holiday specialist offering bespoke packages, private transfers, and premium ski school arrangements to European resorts. Comparable high-touch customization model.
• Crystal Ski Holidays: One of the UK's largest ski holiday package operators offering fully bundled accommodation, flights, transfers, equipment, and lift passes to European resorts. Direct competitor with similar transaction-fee model and direct-to-consumer booking approach.
• Inghams: Long-established UK ski and alpine holiday tour operator (over 85 years heritage) offering packages to Austria, France, Italy, and Switzerland with similar one-stop-shop bundling of accommodation, flights, and ski extras.
• Skiworld: UK-based ski holiday package operator offering chalet, hotel, and apartment holidays with flights, transfers, and ski extras to European resorts. Closely mirrors Erna Low's customizable package approach and UK consumer base.
• Neilson: UK specialist in ski and beach activity holidays offering chalet and hotel packages with ski school, equipment, and lift passes bundled in. Comparable direct-to-consumer package model with similar European resort coverage.
• Ski Solutions: UK luxury ski holiday specialist offering high-end chalets, hotels, and bespoke packages to European and North American resorts. Comparable direct-to-consumer model with premium positioning and ATOL/ABTOT-style protection.
• Mark Warner: UK ski and beach holiday operator offering family-oriented package holidays with accommodation, flights, transfers, equipment hire, and ski school bundled in. Similar customizable package approach with primary UK consumer focus.

Broad incumbents

• Sunweb Group: Major European tour operator offering package ski holidays across multiple European countries with proprietary accommodation inventory and large marketing scale. Broader and larger competitor to Erna Low's UK-focused operation.
• TUI Group: Global travel and tourism conglomerate offering ski packages alongside beach holidays, cruises, and city breaks. Massive scale, broad inventory, and direct customer relationships pose competitive pressure on specialist ski operators like Erna Low.
• Booking.com: Global OTA offering accommodation, flights, car rental, and attractions across ski destinations. While not a packaged ski specialist, it competes with Erna Low on the accommodation and ancillary components, particularly for digitally-savvy self-packaging travelers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ernalow
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ErnaLow
• Instagraminstagram.com/ernalowholidays

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Erna Low