Vertigo Holidays has acquired the small specialist family ski tour operator, Ski Famille, for an undisclosed sum.

Vertigo is a new company run by Peter Dyer, founder of both Crystal and Enigma (owner of Esprit and Total Ski).

Dyer said of the acquisition: “Ski Famille is a great brand name and we plan to develop its potential.”

He continued: “The ski market is going through a fascinating phase right now where the generalists are losing ground to the ski specialists.  We have lost First Choice Ski, and Thomas Cook want to sell Neilson Ski.  It’s the time of the specialist like it has never been before”.

SkiFamille is known for its family holidays in Les Gets, Les Menuires, La Plagne, La Clusaz, Val Thorens in France, and Ehrwald in Austria.

Its small scale, personal service and excellent childcare packages draw a considerable amount of repeat business from season to season – it certainly seems already to be a successful formula.

The company has just launched a new website.  Under the leadership of Peter Dyer, it is now looking to expand – in the first instance within France, but possibly later in Austria too.

SkiFamille’s Managing Director, Chris Thompson, will be continuing as one of the new company’s Directors.