It is the awards season and in the World Ski Awards announced earlier this week, European ski destinations and hotels bag most of the top honours.

Swiss ski resort Verbier grabs the top spot as the World’s Best Ski Resort at the 10th World Ski Awards, a global initiative to recognise and reward excellence in ski tourism. According to a press statement by the Awards organisers, Verbier’s superb skiing, state-of-the-art lifts, fine chalets and thriving après-ski proved a winning combination, as it bagged the top prize of World’s Best Ski Resort for the second year running.

The statement adds that the Swiss resort made it a double celebration with W Verbier collecting World’s Best Ski Hotel. Neighbouring France also took double honours in the newcomer categories, with Bear Lodge, Les Arcs named World’s Best New Ski Hotel and Val-d’Isère’s ski-in, ski-out Chalet Abade recognised as World’s Best New Ski Chalet.

Chalet Zermatt Peak, with unrivalled views of the Matterhorn, claimed the title of the World’s Best Ski Chalet, whilst Stein Eriksen Residences in Utah, the United States, took World’s Best Ski Boutique Hotel. Switzerland’s LAAX, with its unlimited freeriding opportunities, was named World’s Best Freestyle Resort. Ski Dubai, home to a superb array of snow-based activities, picked up World’s Best Indoor Ski Resort.

The organisers say that the awards follow a year-long search for the world’s leading ski travel, tourism and hospitality brands. Votes were cast by ski industry professionals and ski consumers, with the nominee gaining the most votes in a category named the winner.

Leo Trippi was voted World’s Best Ski Travel Agent, with Sunweb winning World’s Best Ski Tour Operator. Tesla Transfers collected the title for World’s Best Ski Transfer Operator.

The harmonious mix of architecture and nature helped LAAX’s rocksresort to the title of World’s Best Green Ski Hotel. Northern Escape Heli-Skiing, operating in British Columbia’s vast Skeena Range, collected World’s Best Heli-Ski Operator. The pan-European dominance of Compagnie des Alpes helped it gain the award for World’s Best Ski Resort Group. The state-of-the-art facilities of Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel led to its recognition as World’s Best Ski Resort Company.

“Our winners represent the finest brands in global ski tourism and my congratulations to each of them. The 10th annual World Ski Awards programme received a record number of votes from ski consumers across the world, and serves as a barometer on the eve of the upcoming season. This shows that the appetite for ski tourism has never been stronger,” says Sion Rapson, Managing Director, World Ski Awards.