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Ski resorts and holiday regions want to do everything they can to ensure that tourists don’t stay away despite the pandemic. The need for a mask, distance, and disinfection determine precautionary measures almost everywhere. Some places also depend on technology.
Optimism in Switzerland
The Swiss winter sports regions are confident of optimism. “As always, we are planning a winter with some news well in advance,” says Markus Meili, Managing Director of Engadin St. Moritz Mountains AG in Graubünden. In Zermatt, at the foot of the Matterhorn, all the lifts are open and the slopes are covered in snow. Zermatt Tourism has developed its own tube scarf which, when worn over the nose, is supposed to protect almost all protective masks from viruses.
“With the exception of mouth and nose protection in closed means of transport and distance rules in the queuing area, there are no changes in other winters when it comes to snow sports,” says Meili. Simona Altwegg from Zermatt Tourismus says: “Nothing changes on the slopes because you are outdoors and the minimum distance is given when skiing anyway.”
With the Jungfrau railways in the Bernese Oberland with the Grindelwald, Wengen and Mürren ski areas, you don’t see any problems. Wearing a mask is mandatory on trains and gondolas, and windows can be opened almost everywhere. “There will be no need for masks for the ski lifts and chairlifts,” says spokeswoman Kathrin Naegeli, as guests are outdoors and travel time is typically less than 15 minutes. Cantons are likely to still determine whether mouth and nose protection is necessary when queuing for ski lifts.
Partying after the day on the slopes is said to hardly play a role in Switzerland. For most guests, sport skiing and dining are at the fore, says Altwegg. And Meili: The Upper Engadine is not known for its extravagant après-ski. It is clear to all that the season is not going to be booming. A drop in the number of foreign guests is very likely, says Swiss Tourism spokeswoman Martina Bieler.
No après-ski in Austria
“Ski fun, yes, but without après-ski” is the slogan issued by the Austrian government. Food and drinks are only available seated, in the gondolas it is mandatory to wear a mask. In addition, authorities, tourism associations and operators rely on different measures depending on the federal state and the ski area. ‘Winter sports areas like Ischgl have become synonymous with pandemic in the course of reports. Of course, this does not correspond to reality, but nevertheless, many people have reservations about traveling to these areas. We take it very seriously, ”says Martin Ebster, director of the St. Anton am Arlberg tourism association.
There is a wide range of measures: in some ski resorts you can buy a multifunctional cloth for oral and nasal protection, and in other places directly with the season pass. When queuing for the ski lifts, keep your distance. Hotel and ski resort employees should be tested for Corona more frequently; in some cases, the fever must be measured every day before starting work. Guest registration and contact tracking must also be done via mobile phone. Some places want to keep an eye on the situation with wastewater monitoring.
Several ski areas guarantee refunds on the purchase of passes in the event that the closure occurs again. All those involved fear that German tourists may be absent due to travel warnings from the Foreign Ministry: they accounted for more than half of all overnight stays in Tirol and Vorarlberg.
Hope in the Black Forest
Germany does not play a significant role in alpine ski tourism. Because the ski areas of the Bavarian Alps are too small to compete with the competition in Austria and Switzerland, not to mention the low slopes of the Black Forest mountains, the Fichtel mountains or the Sauerland. Therefore, hikers are important.
Hygiene concepts are not yet coordinated with the ministries, but the specifications for winter will be based on summer operations. That means a mask is mandatory for gondolas and elevators and distance requirements. Several ski areas want to hire additional seasonal workers to guide visitors. An app for “guest tracking” will probably not only be used in Bavaria, the use of which would be voluntary and could help track infection chains.
In the Black Forest, there is also hope for the season. “After all the crown-related restrictions in the summer, I hope guests look forward to a Black Forest winter like they haven’t in a long time,” says Adrian Probst, president of the Feldberg elevator network.
Lift tickets will only be available online. This would avoid the queues in front of the counters, “and we know exactly how many people come to us on which day,” they say. If the infection process requires it, the number of tickets will be limited. In addition to the mask requirement and distance rules, there should be stations with disinfectant dispensers. Staff must ensure that measurements are observed.
Preparations are also in full swing in Italy
Preparations for the new season take place in the Italian ski areas for weeks. “We will take all necessary precautions to make skiing and winter tourism in South Tyrol possible this winter as well,” says South Tyrol Regional Councilor responsible for tourism, Arnold Schuler.
Precautionary measures include the mandatory use of mouth and nose protection on cable cars and distance rules. All gondolas are periodically disinfected, protective barriers are installed and the frequency of ski buses is increased. In many areas, visitors can purchase ski passes online in advance and pick them up at an on-site ticket office. According to the authorities, ski schools, ski rentals, as well as restaurants and hotels are also developing their own concepts.
New cancellation conditions in French ski resorts
Some of the winter sports regions of France have changed their cancellation policy. Travelers can also cancel on short notice if the Corona situation makes it necessary. Every traveler must check the conditions beforehand. The Courchevel winter sports area in the French Alps has two pharmacies and three medical centers that are open throughout the winter.
In La Plagne, which is not far away, it is emphasized that hygiene regulations and a pleasant ski holiday are not mutually exclusive. Some accommodations offer online check-in to shorten waiting time in common rooms. Ski passes can be canceled up to 48 hours before the first day of validity. There are still nurseries and ski courses. Helmets could also continue to be borrowed, which would be disinfected periodically.
Wearing a mask is mandatory on chair lifts, in queues or on gondolas in most ski areas, including the Val Thorens winter sports resort in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. In general, ski areas advertise that sufficient disinfectants are available everywhere and that the ski lifts are cleaned regularly.
Travel Advisory for the Czech Republic
Traditionally, the ski areas in the Giant Mountains, the Metallic Mountains, the Bohemian Forest and the Beskids are popular with tourists from Germany and Poland. However, when it comes to the number of new coronavirus infections, measured by population, the Czech Republic is now at the top of the EU (as of October 9). The Federal Foreign Ministry has issued a travel advisory for the Czech Republic.
The Czech Association of Ski Areas is preparing a hygiene guide for the winter season. This is done in consultation with the health authorities and the Prague Ministry of Health, says the association’s director, Libor Knot: “Sport and exercise in the open air is one of the safest activities.”
