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Die drohende Schließung der Axamer Lizum im heurigen Winter sorgt für Alarmstimmung. Am Montag fand eine Krisensitzung in Axams statt.
© Rudy De Moor
Axams – “Withdraw the application and give us planning security!”: This was the central, very emotional demand of the mayor of Axam, Christian Abenthung, in a crisis meeting called on short notice on Monday afternoon. The issue was the possible temporary closure of the cable car operations in Axamer Lizum in the upcoming winter season.
The representatives of the ski accommodation and catering companies, the management of the tourism association “Innsbruck and its regions” and the mayors of the associated communities unanimously supported this demand.
As reported, Axamer Lizum Aufnahmungs AG (main shareholder is the Fröschl family of builders) submitted a letter to the Ministry of Transport for “temporary exemption from the operational obligation for the winter season 2020/21”.
“That doesn’t mean we don’t unlock”
Marketing manager Thomas Lampe and attorney Herbert Huber, who represented the AG at the crisis meeting (management apologized for a supervisory board meeting that took place at the same time in Hall) emphasized at the meeting that they really wanted to get started to operate this season. “The request does not mean that we will not unlock,” clarified Lampe.
We already go out with advertising, for example in the German market ”. But if things get “really tough” this season when it comes to Covid-19, which “we can’t all influence”, you want to be able to react quickly, Huber explained. Above all, it is about “avoiding the loss of time that an official procedure would entail.” That is why the request was made “preventively.”
“The application is an extreme damage to winter tourism”
Abenthung and the others present did not accept that: “If there is no certainty in planning when opening the railways, we all have a big problem,” Abenthung said. No tourism company could operate economically in the face of such uncertainty. – which so far no other mountain railway has provided – is “extreme damage for winter tourism, for Tyrol and all of Austria”.
There is only one way: “Assume your responsibility for the tourist and withdraw the request.” A “quick decision” is needed. Axamer Lizum is also a ski area that lives mainly off the locals, Abenthung noted.
Der Axamer Bürgermeister Christian Abenthung.
© BAGNG
Many tourism companies informed the meeting of cancellations after the request was known. TVB President Karl Gostner asked why the AG was making this request now. “Why not just when there really is an economic emergency? Why preventive, with a possible negative domino effect for all of Austria? “
The fact that neither the shareholder communities nor tourism companies in the region had been informed in advance of the request generated special criticism from those present. The representatives of the working group declared that they would “take away” the points of criticism and complaint; (Maryland)
