Disinfected gondolas, multifunctional scarves for the lift pass, guest login via QR code: the skiing holiday will be different this year than usual. All over Europe, operators hope to make the winter as tasty and as safe as possible for guests under Corona conditions.
Despite the coronavirus numbers rising again, many people are likely to hope for a winter vacation. The ski resorts and holiday regions want to do their utmost to ensure that tourists do not stay away despite the pandemic.
Mask requirement, distance and disinfection determine the precautionary measures almost everywhere. Some places also rely on technology.
AUSTRIA
“Skiing fun, yes, but without après-ski” is the slogan issued by the Austrian government. Food and drinks are only available while seated, in 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 ski area.
“Winter sports areas like Ischgl have become synonymous with the pandemic in the course of reporting. Of course, this does not correspond to reality, but nevertheless many people have reservations about traveling to these areas. We take that very seriously, ”says the director of the St. Anton am Arlberg tourism association, Martin Ebster.
The range of measures is wide: a multifunctional cloth for mouth and nose protection can be bought in some ski resorts, elsewhere directly with the season pass. Keep your distance when queuing for the ski lifts. Hotel and ski resort employees should be tested more frequently for Corona, in some cases a fever should be measured every day before starting work. Registration of guests and contact tracking should also be done via mobile phone. Some places want to keep an eye on the situation with wastewater monitoring.
Several ski areas guarantee reimbursements when purchasing season tickets in the event that the lockdown occurs again. Everyone involved is afraid that German tourists might be absent because of the travel warnings from the Foreign Office – they made up more than half of all overnight stays in Tyrol and Vorarlberg.
GERMANY
Germany does not play a major role in alpine ski tourism. Because also the ski areas in the Bavarian Alps are too small to keep up with the competition in Austria and Switzerland – not to mention low mountain slopes in the Black Forest, Fichtelgebirge or Sauerland. Day trippers are therefore important.
There are not yet any hygiene concepts coordinated with ministries, but the specifications for winter will be based on summer operations. That means it is compulsory to wear a mask for gondolas and lifts and distance requirements. Several ski areas want to hire additional seasonal workers to guide visitors. Probably not just in Bavaria an app for "guest tracing" will be used, the use of which would be voluntary and could help in tracking chains of infection.
in the Black Forest one looks to the season with hope. "After all the corona-related restrictions of the summer, I expect the guests to yearn for a Black Forest winter like they haven't for a long time," says Adrian Probst, chairman of the Feldberg lift network.
Lift tickets will only be available online. This would avoid queues in front of 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. Personnel should ensure that measures are observed.
SWITZERLAND
The Swiss winter sports regions rely on optimism. "As always, we are planning a winter with some news with a lot of anticipation," says Markus Meili, Managing Director of Engadine St. Moritz Mountains AG in Graubünden. In Zermatt at the foot of the Matterhorn, all lifts will be opened and the slopes will be covered with snow. Zermatt Tourism has developed its own tube scarf that, when pulled over the nose, should protect almost any protective mask from viruses.
"With the exception of mouth and nose protection in closed means of transport and the distance rules in the waiting area, there are no changes to other winters when practicing snow sports," says Meili. Simona Altwegg from Zermatt Tourism says: "Nothing changes on the slopes because you are in the fresh air and the minimum distance is given when skiing anyway."
At Jungfrau Railways in the Bernese Oberland with the Ski areas Grindelwald, Wengen, Mürren you don't see a problem either. It is compulsory to wear a mask on trains and gondolas, and windows can be opened almost everywhere. "There will be no mask requirement for the ski lifts and chairlifts," says spokeswoman Kathrin Naegeli, as the guests are in the fresh air and the journey time is usually less than 15 minutes. The cantons are still likely to determine whether mouth and nose protection is necessary when queuing at ski lifts.
It is said that partying after a day on the slopes hardly plays a role in Switzerland. For the majority of guests, sporty skiing and gastronomy are in the foreground, says Altwegg. And Meili: The Upper Engadin is not known for extravagant après-ski. It is clear to everyone that the season is not going to be booming. A slump in the number of foreign guests is very likely, says the spokeswoman for Switzerland Tourism, Martina Bieler.
ITALY
Preparations for the new season have been going on in the Italian ski areas for weeks. “We will take all the necessary precautions so that ski and winter tourism in South-Tirol is also possible this winter ”, says the regional councilor responsible for tourism in South Tyrol, Arnold Schuler.
The precautionary measures include the mandatory wearing of mouth and nose protection in cable cars and distance rules. All gondolas are regularly disinfected, protective barriers are installed and the frequency of ski buses is increased. In many areas, visitors can buy ski passes online in advance and collect them in a ticket box on site. According to the authorities, ski schools, ski rentals as well as restaurants and hotels are also developing their own concepts.
FRANCE
Some of France's winter sports regions have changed their cancellation policy. Travelers can also cancel at short notice if the Corona situation makes it necessary. Every traveler should check the conditions beforehand. The winter sports area Courchevel in the French Alps advertises 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 nice skiing holiday are not mutually exclusive. Some accommodations offer online check-in to shorten the waiting time in common rooms. Ski passes can be canceled up to 48 hours before the first day of validity. There are still childcare and ski courses. Helmets could also continue to be borrowed, they would be disinfected regularly.
A mask on chair lifts, in queues or in gondolas is compulsory in most ski areas – including the Val Thorens winter sports resort in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. In general, the ski areas advertise that sufficient disinfectants are available everywhere and that lifts are cleaned regularly.
CZECH REPUBLIC
They are traditional Ski resorts in the Giant Mountains, Ore Mountains, in the Bohemian Forest and popular with tourists from Germany and Poland in the Beskids. However, when it comes to the number of new coronavirus infections, measured by population, the Czech Republic is now at the top across the EU (as of October 9th). The Federal Foreign Office has issued a travel warning 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 Ministry of Health in Prague, says association manager Libor Knot: "Sport and exercise in the open air is one of the safest activities."
There will be restrictions on après-ski. Currently, in gastronomy, every guest must have a seat. In addition, no more than six people can sit at one table. At 10 p.m. all restaurants, bars and cafes have to close. “We remain optimistic – if the weather plays along in winter, we could achieve visitor numbers comparable to last year's,” says Knot.