Skiers should give Vancouver a swerve if they want to stay in the black as the Canadian city is the most expensive destination, according to analysis for Virgin Money’s Travel Insurance.

And if they are looking for a bargain skiers should head for the slopes of Slovakia, according to Virgin Money Travel Insurance’s value for travel research.

Vancouver took the title as the most expensive, with the cost for two people coming in at close to £3,500 while Bratislava in Slovakia was the cheapest on the index costing a sixth at just £545.94 for two people.

The survey analysis at the costs of ski hire for six days, four star accommodation for a week, a Big Mac, a pint of beer and entry to a popular sightseeing attraction, for two, in 12 cities around the world famed for their ski resorts.

It also includes the cost, for two, for winter sports cover and converts all costs into Pounds in order to assess the true cost for UK tourists looking to visit on holiday. The survey excludes the costs of air travel to focus on the costs that matter to tourists when they are on holiday.

The Glacier palace at Cervinia in Italy was the cheapest attraction as it’s free to get into while Stockholm’s Vasa Museum, which includes the remains of the 64-gun warship Vasa that sank on her maiden voyage in 1628, came in at £16.54 for two adults.

After a day on the slopes, those looking to relax off piste with a drink should steer clear of Stockholm and Oslo, with two pints of beer costing in excess of £10. In Bratislava it’s just 92p a pint.

Grant Bather, of Virgin Money Travel Insurance, said: “Ski season is hotly anticipated by a great number of people and more and more are looking to combine a few days on the slopes with a few days in a city. While a trip to Sapporo or Slovenia might seem a long way to travel, tourists can make their trip more cost effective when they arrive.

“More people are looking to go to new and up and coming resorts and the Virgin Money Travel Insurance Index shows that these destinations such as Innsbruck, Sarajevo and Ljubljana are incredibly cheap compared to the more established resorts of Vancouver and Chamonix.”

The Virgin Money single trip winter sports policy includes comprehensive cover for medical emergencies, piste rescue, repatriation, piste closure and personal liability, as well as insurance for ski packs and hired or owned equipment.

More activities are also covered as standard, from off piste skiing and snowboarding to ice skating and tobogganing.

As part of the Virgin Money Travel Insurance proposition, by buying annual cover winter sports will be automatically included.

Virgin Money offers a range of travel insurance policies designed to meet the needs of a variety of travellers including families, backpackers, over 65’s, winter sports enthusiasts and people going on adventure holidays with customised travel insurance options.

Over forty adventure sports are covered as standard, from archery to white water rafting. Up to three under 18s are also covered, for free, per adult. It also offers up to £400 cover for backpackers (aged under 35) if they are mugged while travelling.