Mt Ruapehu is one of the top resort destinations for a skiing holiday in New Zealand. The resort caters to families, and it has even capitalized on the popularity of the online children's game Club Penguin to launch kids events based on the game in a Club Penguin Mini X Games.

There will be games including Boarder X and Skier X, and a Little Big Air Day, all held at Whakapapa's Happy Valley. The games will give kids a chance to show off their skills in front of parents and judges, but the main goal of the competition is to get the next generation of skiers enthusiastic about the sport and the resort. There will be prizes awarded including a Nintendo DS system and some gear from Billabong, while newbies will appreciate the Club Penguin Discover Snow School.

Arinsal is a prime ski resort in Andorra which is an excellent choice for a skiing holiday in 2012. The resort is known for holding annual festivals and races, and its slopes offer something for every level of skier. The resort is popular with the younger crowd thanks to its choice of good bars and nightclubs, and it also represents a good value.

The slopes offer long, winding blue runs as well as faster red and black runs. Courchevel is another famous ski resort which is nestled in the Three Valleys area of France. It draws skiers from around the world to its excellent 3 and 4 star slopes which offer all levels of skiing and snow boarding. This resort is a great choice for families with many off the slopes activities like tobogganing and hot air ballooning to be enjoyed.

A record breaking skiing holiday season has been achieved at the New Zealand ski resort of Treble Cone after the start of the season was delayed. The boost comes from a big increase in school holiday travel as record numbers of skiers and snowboarders hit the slopes this year.

The resort saw outstanding snow coverage on its slopes and both the Saddle Basin and Home were up and running. According to resort managers, the conditions are above average for this time of year with the entire mountain being accessible so early in the season. The off-piste skiing has been especially popular with customers this year, and visitors have also enjoyed the streamlined ticketing system made possible by new technology which has shortened queues and made the resort operations more efficient.