These days, skiing is a global pastime. And if the Alps and the Rockies are beyond your budget, there is a whole world’s worth of other resorts out there to explore. Just don’t expect the infrastructure or, in many cases, the quality of snow and terrain to match the likes of Jackson Hole or Verbier.

At the moment, Bulgaria, due to join the European Union next month, is the hottest of these second-tier destinations. Bansko, a couple of hours’ drive south of Sofia, the capital, offers high mountains and a cut-price skiing experience. Typical of the current upmarket offerings is St George’s Lodge, through Savills, where studios start at £48,500 (020 7016 3740, www.stglodge.com ), or White Fir Valley, in the Razlog Valley near Bansko (0845 257 9787, www.whitefirvalley.com ), where one-bed flats start at £65,000. Also worth considering are Pamporovo and Borovets.

Be wary of extravagant promises of capital gains, though. Although prices are undoubtedly rising, the sheer scale of building means there could be a glut down the line.

Slovenia is the second most serious contender for title of the Next Big Thing. Its mountains are a part of the Alps, too, which adds extra skiing cred, and the proximity of the pretty capital, Ljubljana, is the apparent icing on the cake. But the resorts here are small and not very high — Kranjska Gora is the biggest, but offers only 19 miles of pistes — and property is expensive: in excess of £2,500 per square metre for a new flat.

Romania, set to join the EU at the same time as Bulgaria, is also trying to get in on the act. Two-bed flats close to the slopes in Poiana Brasov and other resorts in the Prahova Valley start at about £32,000, according to Romanian Properties (0870 224 2942, www.romanianpropertiesltd.co.uk ), which says that interest from British buyers is growing by the week. If you want a chalet, you will need to travel away from the slopes: it has a five-bed chalet near Bran in Transylvania on its books for £185,000.

Tax-free Andorra is another possibility, with a loyal following in Britain and a better infrastructure. What’s more, the ski resorts of Soldeu and Pas de la Casa have recently joined forces, offering an impressive 115 miles of piste in total. But property is not cheap: in Soldeu, Andorra Property (00 376 751 900; www.andorra-property.com ) has a three-bed flat for about £250,000.

Looking for something more exotic? Let’s pass over the resorts of Lebanon and Iran, neither of which could be called a safe bet at the moment. Further east, in the Caucasus, the Russians are busy developing resorts above the town of Sochi in support of its bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics. The Russian government recently backed a £6 billion blueprint for the town’s development, while, nearby, private developers are ploughing £150m into the resort of Roza Khutor.

Greenpeace is fighting the plans, but President Vladimir Putin has thrown his weight behind the bid, and if the Russian economy continues to boom, this could be the next big thing in skiing. Two-bed flats are being offered off-plan at £160,000 (with Krasnaya Polyana Real Estate, www.377333.ru ).

Another region to watch is the Himalayas. Gulmarg in Kashmir is the most high-profile resort, and with the Indian economy roaring ahead, the long-term potential looks good. Just don’t expect to be able to jump in just yet: last month there was a general strike in the area in protest against attempts to lease land to foreigners.

Further afield, the resorts of Chile are acquiring an international reputation, although most British buyers looking for an endless winter will be more comfortable buying in New Zealand’s adrenaline capital, Queenstown, home to four ski areas. Frankton Real Estate (00 64 3 441 4100, www.franktonrealestate.co.nz ) has a two-bed semi there for about £145,000.

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