[ad_1]
content
Many Brits often travel to their Verbier holiday homes after Christmas. That is not possible this year.
Britain decided on a partial shutdown this weekend because an even more contagious new variant of the coronavirus is rampant in the country. As a result, there have been no air connections between Britain and Switzerland since midnight. What does that mean for Verbier, where many Britons in particular have holiday homes?
“Most of them haven’t arrived yet because they often don’t come to Switzerland until after Christmas,” says Priska Dellberg, SRF Valais correspondent. “But of course there are British who are already in Verbier.” Apparently, some of them would have chosen to spend the entire winter in Valais and work from their second home.
In other winters, British tourists would make up almost a quarter of the guests in the city. That is why it is already certain: “This winter there will be far fewer Brits in Verbier than usual.”
Mountain railways and pubs remain open
Several cantons have decided to close their ski areas. Others decide it today, such as the canton of Graubünden. In Valais, however, the mountain railways should continue to operate. The restaurants will also remain open, after being closed for several weeks in the fall, as long as the 1.0 spawn rate set by the federal government is not exceeded.
The value is now 0.97. How does this affect the Valais slopes? “It has tourists,” said the correspondent, who looked around several ski areas. “But of course the destinations are far from crowded because most of the guests don’t arrive until after Christmas, December 26.”
It will definitely be quite crowded.
In part, the state of the reserve this year in New Years week is even better than last year. “That means it will definitely be quite full.” What caught his attention: “Those who are there, in general, adhere to the concepts of protection. They wear masks, they wait with discipline when the gondola is already full. And if someone doesn’t do that, mountain railway employees are often quick to point it out. “
Additional police presence
In addition, more than 200 police officers are on duty at the ski areas every day. Its officers would not go skiing themselves, said Valais Canton Police Commander Christian Varone. But they would mark a presence in the valley stations and other hotspots in tourist regions, especially during the festive season.
And it is said that the Belalp-Bahnen hired ten people as the so-called “crown angels.” “They are women and men who direct the visitors and also reprimand them if necessary,” explains Dellberg.
For this reason, the Valais government believes that winter should also occur.
The cantonal government of Valais is consciously taking the risk of increasing contagion by keeping ski areas and restaurants open, “because the Christmas business is of great importance,” the correspondent said.
According to the Valais tourism umbrella organization, the added value of tourism during the Christmas holidays amounts to about 500 million francs. That’s a quarter of what is earned in the industry during the winter. “That is why the Valais government has subordinated everything to the goal of saving the winter season.” And because of that, winter should also take place.
