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Ischgl has not yet opened its ski areas, due to Switzerland. Image: EPA
Switzerland spoils Ischgl at the start of the season: the rest of Austria can get on the boards
From today you can go back to skiing with our neighbors. Except on the Swiss border. For Switzerland.
After Switzerland, the second largest ski nation in Europe is also opening up its gondolas and ski lifts to today’s skiers, at least a little. Because the ski season in Austria will be very different this year than in previous years. They absolutely want to prevent a second Super Spreader Ischgl like last year. The Alpine Mallorca will be closed until further notice, but we’ll talk about that later.
FFP2 masks and homemade snacks
The reasons for opening ski areas in Austria despite the pandemic sound very similar to those in Switzerland. “We are a ski country,” says Tourism Minister Elisabeth Köstinger, for example.
However, some things are different from Switzerland. Protection measures are much stricter. Therefore, it is mandatory for all skiers over the age of 14 to wear the particularly effective FFP2 masks when in gondolas or queuing.
Some cable cars offer these types of masks for sale, others have asked skiers to take them with them. The protection measure is not indisputable. The Bergbahn Saalbach wants to take legal action against him because control is difficult, but the responsibility for violations lies with the company. Therefore, the Saalbach-Hinterglemm ski area only wants to open up when the FFP2 mask is no longer required.
Austrians are not only stricter when it comes to masks, but also when it comes to gastrointestinal regulations. Hotels and restaurants will be closed until January 18. Consequently, there is no food or drink in the ski huts, not even to go. You have to take the sandwiches. Travel and quarantine regulations should also ensure that foreign guests stay away.
Ischgl remains closed, due to Switzerland
The popular Ischgl ski area remains completely closed. For Switzerland. The reason for this is that Ischgl on the Austrian side and Samnaun on the Swiss side go together. According to regulations, anyone driving to Switzerland must be quarantined when they return to the slopes in Austria.
“Due to strict Corona measures throughout Austria and different regulations on the Swiss side, cross-border skiing from Ischgl to Samnaun in Switzerland cannot be done at the moment,” says Andreas Steibl, Managing Director of the Paznaun Tourism Association -Ischgl. “Health and safety standards are a top priority and we don’t want to take unnecessary risks.”
The mask and capacity rules in Switzerland also contributed to this decision. In Samnaun it is not necessary to wear FFP2 masks and the gondolas can carry more people. In Ischgl, therefore, the ski season is expected to start in the second half of January. But this year definitely without après-ski.
(Using material from Keystone-SDA)
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