Funny shock of the information, Friday, November 19 in the morning: while Austria, the world’s leading ski destination before the Covid-19 pandemic, announced the re-containment of its population, the French mountains launched their winter season in front of a Secretary of State for Rural Affairs, Joël Giraud, quick to shake hands.
For now, the ski industry is smiling: on the opening weekend in Val-Thorens, November 19 and 20, poster is sold out, Jean Castex guaranteed the opening this winter and the rate of reservations is promising, despite the uncertainty on the epidemic front.
The late precision of the health protocol for the ski lifts, Saturday, November 6 by the Prime Minister, gave a boost to reservations. The mask will be mandatory in the cable cars and queues, but the health pass will not be checked at the ski lifts, unless the national incidence of Covid-19 exceeds 200 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. It was 120 on November 15, up sharply, but the possible application of the health pass is not a cause for concern for reservations – some important players were even arguing for it to be imposed from the outset.
Reservations down 6% but “in a good way”
In mid-November, bookings for the entire season were down 6% compared to 2019-2020, the base year and very successful until its abrupt end on March 15, 2020. “Reservations have gone in the right direction. Two weeks ago, we were 12% late “, rejoices Alexandre Maulin, president of the Domaines skiables de France (DSF).
The reservation rate is 43%, with a smaller difference than usual between the large mountain areas (44%) and the village resorts (40.5%). Professionally managed hotels, chalets or apartments are more popular than before the Covid-19, while tourist residences, private individuals and holiday villages are lagging behind.
“We must not doubt it, we are going to have an exceptional season, insists Jean-Luc Boch, president of the National Association of Mayors of Mountain Resorts. We were third in 2019 (behind the United States and Austria), there is no doubt that we will regain first place. “
Belgians and Dutch have reserved
Behind these figures hide some points of weakness and, above all, questions. The month of January, more dependent on tour operators and British customers, is weaker than usual, as are March and April.
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