Swiss Ski Property Regulations May be Eased
SwissInfo report that the Swiss government is considering relaxing the regulations that currently restrict the purchase of real estate, such as ski chalets, by foreign nationals.
The cabinet announced on Wednesday that there was nothing to fear from foreign buyers, but that the cantons would have to decide themselves how to avoid speculation, especially at popular ski resorts.
Which all sounds great, but any changes need to address the very real concerns of environmentalists and ski resort management, including that of “cold beds”…
The tourism industry and the cantons are particularly concerned about the so-called “cold bed” phenomenon. Many secondary residences remain empty for much of the year and are only used by their owners for a few weeks.
This means there is a lack of accommodation in some resorts despite thousands of beds remaining empty. With nowhere to stay, tourists are moving on and infrastructure such as ski lifts is unused.
