International (Europe/Japan/Southern Hemisphere) Skiing in Europe...off to a bad start

[AlpsSkidad]

The latest news in Austria seems to say that resorts/hotels/restaurants etc must remain closed for now. They expect a decision in February to determine if they can open sometime in March at the earliest. I guess lifts can run, but nowhere to stay unless you have a home there. Additionally in Germany/Austria it seems that FFP2 (K95) masks will be required in retail establishments. No more surgical masks etc.

France is under a lot of pressure to reopen the lifts. Our kid's ski team just sent a notice moments ago that Tignes has agreed to open for them in February (only licensed racers/limited lifts). Normally they train in all of the Espace Killy (Val D'Isere/Tignes) but not sure what will actually open, and if the government is going to change anything with regards to the lockdown. Due to all of the travel restrictions, we will be stuck stateside either way.

 

[AlpsSkidad]

This article "based on their sources" says that France will keep the lifts closed through February. If true, this is a huge development because the February French school holidays are the main revenue maker and busiest time for the resorts.
I could imagine that the resorts might not open at all if they can't open until after the Feb holidays. It wouldn't be worth it.
This would also solidify the reasoning of my post #201 above, that the resort would only open to the team for that period.

https://www.lemonde.fr/economie/art...-stations-de-ski-en-fevrier_6066714_3234.html

 

[Nobody]

In Italy too, some think it is a way to let operators come to the conclusion that it will not be financially worth to open late in the season and announce they will not open at all (opening was dealyed each successive dateline to the next month, it's been lately announced that lifts will stay closed until at least Feb 15th, but many suspect that the dateline will be pushed further forward in time when Feb 15th will be nearing. A new decree will push the date to, March 5th, and so on and so on). Some operators have already called it quits (Dolomiti Superski, IIRC) some are still clinging to the hopes, and the confusion is accrued by ,say, a given consortium president announcing their ops will not open and someone else within the same org (maybe one of the main shareholders) instead announcing they will open no matter what even at a loss, when and if allowed to open (just last week, at my "home" mountain) ...My "fears" are what already stated, lifts will not open at all for 2020-2021 season here.

 

[Nobody]

This article "based on their sources" says that France will keep the lifts closed through February. If true, this is a huge development because the February French school holidays are the main revenue maker and busiest time for the resorts.
I could imagine that the resorts might not open at all if they can't open until after the Feb holidays. It wouldn't be worth it.
This would also solidify the reasoning of my post #201 above, that the resort would only open to the team for that period.

https://www.lemonde.fr/economie/art...-stations-de-ski-en-fevrier_6066714_3234.html

It appears that the french governement is aiming to keep the lifts ops closed throughout the whole season. If so, I imagine that the italian governement will happily follow suit as well.

 

[AlpsSkidad]

It appears that the french governement is aiming to keep the lifts ops closed throughout the whole season. If so, I imagine that the italian governement will happily follow suit as well.

Yes, the focus of the talks between localities and the French government has changed from opening to how much compensation they will be given for the lack of a season. That pretty much shows there isn't much chance of an opening.

 

[Ulmerhutte]

Hospitality, aka accomm and restaurants, in Austria will not be allowed to open until March - if at all then. Many resorts are running a reduced number of lifts for locals and day-trippers. How long that can keep going is anybody’s guess.

By March, they will have missed many of the school holidays, British mid-terms, etc, with only Easter left as a possible “peak” time. Add that to the fact that borders are not likely to open anytime soon, especially to Germany, Netherlands, and UK, which contribute the bulk of the tourist dollars to the main resorts, and you would have to be a bit of an optimist to expect lift-served skiing to continue much longer for season 2020/21.

I have much sympathy for whoever wrote:

 

[James]

This article "based on their sources" says that France will keep the lifts closed through February. If true, this is a huge development because the February French school holidays are the main revenue maker and busiest time for the resorts.
I could imagine that the resorts might not open at all if they can't open until after the Feb holidays. It wouldn't be worth it.
This would also solidify the reasoning of my post #201 above, that the resort would only open to the team for that period.

https://www.lemonde.fr/economie/art...-stations-de-ski-en-fevrier_6066714_3234.html

That means Switzerland will be slammed during the French school holiday period.
I had heard earlier this week that one ski school in Verbier that a friend uses was very booked up the first week of French vacation but not the second. I would expect this news would change that.

 

[Ulmerhutte]

A major dumping of Sahara sand on European resorts, turning the snow and sky orange:

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-55966867

It happens most years, but not usually this dramatic.

 

[Nobody]

It now appears that resorts in the Italian "yellow" graded regions, will be allowed to start to operate from Feb 15th...the protocol conjonctly prepared by the operators and the regions earlier this season, was reviewed by the Techcinal Scientific Committee and approved...Atlo Adige /Sout Tirol , though, has been graded red and will enter a new lockdown phase from tomorrow.
It looks like one of the key element will be limited capacity (seems 50%) and online tickets reservation/selling processes. Unclear if season passes will be sold this late in the season and if yes, at which price and what percentage of the capacity would be "reserved" for season pass holders...we shall see, when and if operations will start. Alas by the look of how ppl has been behaving in the past week since Lombardy was classified yellow (full restaurants everywhere, crowds in all cities, nightlifs in full, maks on policy disregarded particularly by the younger, and so on) in 10 days or so we might be again back in the red zone...

 

[James]

Will the French go to Italy for school break or is the border closed too like Switzerland?

 

[Nobody]

I don't know. As of now, the lifts are still stopped. The TSC has only an "advisory role" , although all parties are moving/behaving/announcing they'll open on Feb 15th, the famous last word is for the government to say...government which is now not in charge anymore, since we are facing an "institutional crisis" and a new government needs to be formed/approved by the current parliament (otherwise the solution will be for new elections to be held...), I am unsure wether the opening of lifts will be one of the main topic that will or might be discussed by this now "caretaker government" (whch is allowed to stay in place to manage the day to day needs of the country, until a new government will be approved). So, to sum it up. Borders are closed, ppl are allowed to move between the two countries only for business purpouses and only if providing official negative swab tests (e.i. sanctioned by the health authority) no older than 48-72 hrs before entering the other country, Italian so far are allowed to move (in a yellow graded region) within the region, to reach the resorts, and from same graded regions only if they own a second house in the other region. So effectively, movements from abroad will be difficult. it is also not clear if also hotels (in the mountains) will be allowed to operate for tourism purposes or not...

 

[James]

Well my friends in Paris are apparently going to Switzerland. Evidently Switzerland is not considered out of the EU for travel purposes so it’s allowed. I think it will be mobbed. Goodness, there were lines on the street last year to get into ski shops to rent last year the 2nd week of French school break.

 

[ksampson3]

My kid traveled with his school buddies from France to Grindelwald 2 weeks ago and stayed in Interlaken . He went for the weekend and the lines weren't bad at all. Maybe the Swiss resorts closer to the French border are worse? There was an article in the New York Times about how "mobbed" the Swiss resorts were due to the French resorts being closed. This wasn't his experience at all.

 

[AlpsSkidad]

It appears you can enter Switzerland from France (and other Schengen countries) but not enter France from Switzerland. I wonder if there are restrictions for French residents returning from their ski holiday.

Travel restrictions in Switzerland and France (Covid-19) | HSE unit at CERN

Updated 10 March 2022 Entry restrictions in CERN’s Host States As the applicable provisions regarding the entry into Switzerland and France evolve very regularly, please consult the competent consulate for your place of residence before any travel for up-to date information. General...

hse.cern

 

[James]

My kid traveled with his school buddies from France to Grindelwald 2 weeks ago and stayed in Interlaken . He went for the weekend and the lines weren't bad at all. Maybe the Swiss resorts closer to the French border are worse? There was an article in the New York Times about how "mobbed" the Swiss resorts were due to the French resorts being closed. This wasn't his experience at all.

Interesting. French school holiday started last weekend for two weeks. Considering there’s no where to go in France, I think it will be crowded. I don’t know if they mostly stick to the French speaking part of CH in the west.

 

[AlpsSkidad]

Interesting. French school holiday started last weekend for two weeks. Considering there’s no where to go in France, I think it will be crowded. I don’t know if they mostly stick to the French speaking part of CH in the west.

French school holidays did start on Feb 6, but just for one zone . There are 3 zones and they all get 2 weeks off, and they stagger by one week, therefore the end date is March 7. The zone that includes Paris starts their vacation this coming weekend (13th)

 

[Cheizz]

Well, decision making Italian style.

For the past two weeks, most Italian ski resorts have been preparing for this season's opening today, February 15th. IF they are in a 'yellow' province, that is (yellow meaning the number of daily new COVID cases is falling). Seems reasonable enough.
Yesterday - one day before! - the Italian government has decided that through federal law, all ski areas and lifts are prohibited to open, at least until 5th of March. Despite the fact that most resorts are in yellow zones. I think that will be the non-official and definitive end to this ski season that never started in Italy.

 

[anders_nor]

here they did the opposite, all resorts were open, but people not really reccomended to travel, now they said go ahead travel, but please do a test before you travel (not mandatory)

 

[Nobody]

Well, decision making Italian style.

For the past two weeks, most Italian ski resorts have been preparing for this season's opening today, February 15th. IF they are in a 'yellow' province, that is (yellow meaning the number of daily new COVID cases is falling). Seems reasonable enough.
Yesterday - one day before! - the Italian government has decided that through federal law, all ski areas and lifts are prohibited to open, at least until 5th of March. Despite the fact that most resorts are in yellow zones. I think that will be the non-official and definitive end to this ski season that never started in Italy.

That is really so shameful that I did not dare to comment publicy, I find it a very disrespectful behaviour toward all the people who work and make a living in the sector. All resorts have been making preparations in expectation that this time, today, it would have been the "right time". Some have sold tickets online, hired ppl for the ticket office, lifties and so on (all seasonal workers) only to be told, at the very last minute, "ops sorry, it's a no-go, but do not worry, we will support you with financial help" (a refrain I've heard since last march, but I do ignore whether it has been factively carried out..I suspect not). I am really starting to dispute the competence of these ministers. Not because of the choice to keep shut activities, but how the communication of it. has been dealt with. To keep people hopes up only to mow everyone at ankle level at the very last minute! Some companies (like the lifts company in Selva) were right, last December, in deciding to write the current season off. Much better thant all this agony, or clownesque behaviour. I was making plans to drive up and finally put some ski time in, and ski with my son, sending him to ski school for the threedays of the Carnival week end (next week end will be a three days week end), so to have him spend , at last, some time in the open, fresh mountain environment...alas, we will maybe drive up anyway, but then...

 

[fatbob]

I think there was no doubt the best of intentions with desire to open up but there is no getting around the honeypot risk with skiing in encouraging travel from a multitude of other areas such that even single spreaders can end up having a wide geogrphic reach. Frankly, given the experience last winter I was surprised that regions in Italy were being given authority. I guess it ultimately proved to be the case that federally no-one wanted to take the chance. Timelines were a complete mess as with so many other COVID related issues.