J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by SwingBeep

As well as an R number of below 1 the 7-day incidence must be below the Swiss average. Currently the Swiss 7-day incidence is 348 cases per 100,000 inhabitants and the incidence Valais is 225.

As the reduction in the numbers was largely achieved by closing the bars and restaurants its likely that they will have to close again soon, especially if there is a large influx of skiers from other cantons.

Currently the ski areas in cantons Berne, Valais and Vaud fulfil the criteria to remain open after 22. December. The ski areas in cantons Appenzell-Innerrhoden, Luzern, Nidwalden, Obwalden, St. Gallen, Schwyz, Uri, Zug and Zürich do not and will close on 22. December. Canton Graubünden will decide on whether its ski areas are to remain open over Christmas on Monday.

Sadly, skiing in Switzerland is not going to be possible for most British skiers after 31.12. 2020 as UK passport holding tourists won't be allowed to enter Switzerland.

https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home/sem/aktuell/faq-einreiseverweigerung.html#-1876973079 This is likely to stay in place until the UK incidence falls below 60 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

"The Austrian government have announced that, from 19 December 2020 until at least 10 January 2021, if you are travelling from a risk area, you will have to quarantine for 10 days upon arrival in Austria. Precise details have not yet been published. The whole of the UK is currently considered a risk area. You have the option of taking a self-funded COVID-19 test after 5 days of entry. If your result is negative, you no longer need to stay in quarantine."

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/austria/entry-requirements

https://www.austria.info/en/service-and-facts/coronavirus-information

Austria
Austrian ski resorts seem to be accepting their government's decision to keep ski resorts closed to locals until Christmas Eve, and tourists until January 7th, better than their neighbours in France and Italy. Perhaps they are being better compensated than ski resorts in France and Italy or perhaps they recognise the decision really comes from neighbouring Germany which also supplies the majority on their international guests.

In Austria COVID-19 financial compensation varies between business sectors, for the tourism and hospitality sector it currently amounts to 50% of last Decembers sales (it was 80% in November) https://www.wko.at/branchen/tourismus-freizeitwirtschaft/hotellerie/hilfs-und-unterstuetzungsmassnahmen.html There is also a fixed costs subsidy https://www.fixkostenzuschuss.at/

Employees receive 80 – 90% of their normal net earnings and compensation for loss of tips.

As Germany is considering a total lockdown after Christmas many people working in the hospitality sector might be better off than they would have been if the businesses had been allowed to open.

As with most countries there is a lot of government lobbying in Switzerland. As well as HotellerieSuisse the trade associations representing all the business sectors involved in the skiing industry along with the MPs representing the Alpine cantons will have lobbied the federal government and will be continuing to do so.

As the number of COVID-19 infections is still rising in some cantons and stagnating in most others it looks like the federal government will announce further measures on Friday:

As the number of COVID-19 infections is still rising in some cantons and stagnating in most others it looks like the federal government will announce further measures on Friday:

• Restaurants, shops, markets, leisure and sports facilities will have to close at 7 p.m. and will remain closed on Sundays.

• For private events, the maximum number of persons from two households will be 5. Parties of up to 10 people will be excluded from 24 to 26 December and on 31 December. This may affect chalet and self-catering holidays.

• Public events will be prohibited with the exception of religious celebrations and legislative assemblies.

• All cultural activities (including school activities) will be prohibited. Professional events with an audience will be prohibited, except for events broadcast online without an audience.

According to Laurent Vanat's 2020 International Report on Snow & Mountain Tourism https://www.vanat.ch/international-report-on-snow-mountain-tourism 90% of skiers visiting Spain's ski resorts are domestic skiers, see page 69. Whereas 92% of Andorra's skiers are foreign skiers, see page 27. As tourism is Andorra's main source of revenue, closing the ski resorts until January will likely have a very negative effect on the economy.

The Swiss Federal Government has just announced that:

It does not want to ban skiing. However, ski resorts will require a permit from the canton authorities from 22 December onwards. This is subject to the condition that the epidemiological situation allows this and that sufficient capacities in hospitals, contact tracing and testing are ensured.

There will be no capacity restrictions on the ski slopes, but the capacity of all enclosed means of transport, such as trains, cabins and gondolas will be limited two thirds of normal capacity from 9 December. This applies to seating and standing room.

Masks will continue to be obligatory on all lifts, including drag and chair lifts. When queuing, a mask must be worn and social distancing (1.5m) must be maintained.

Restaurants in the ski resorts may only let customers into the indoor area if a table is available. All restaurants must also collect the contact details of one guest per table. In addition, the existing rules continue to apply indoors and on the terraces: consumption only while seated and a maximum of four people per table, excluding parents with children. Closing time remains at 11 pm. On New Year's Eve alone, it will be extended until 1 am as an exception.

The regional government of the Aosta valley has approved an ordinance that will allow them to decide autonomously on the opening of the ski lifts, restaurants, bars etc. It has not yet come into force and according to the ANSA news agency, the Minister of Justice Alfonso Bonafede will ask the Council of Ministers to challenge it at a meeting to be held at 9 pm this evening.

Over in South Tyrol the regional government is looking into the possibility of opening the ski areas to residents. Arno Kompatscher the governor of South Tyrol said that "It will not be possible for tourists to visit South Tyrol during the Christmas period".

You can find the national decrees and ordinances via the Ministry of Health's Coronavirus website http://www.salute.gov.it/portale/nuovocoronavirus/homeNuovoCoronavirus.jsp?lingua=english scroll down to the bottom and click the link to " Legal and regulatory measures".

For the Autonomous Province of Bozen/Bolzano the ordinances are to be found on the Civil Protection website http://www.provincia.bz.it/sicurezza-protezione-civile/protezione-civile/coronavirus.asp

On Saturday Luigi Di Maio, the Italian foreign minister and the minister for transport Paola Di Micheli were interviewed in the Italian TV channel Rete 4 https://www.stol.it/artikel/politik/di-maio-nicht-skifahren-zu-duerfen-ist-kein-opfer they were adamant that there will be no skiing over Christmas.

Other reports in the Italian press state that the ski resorts are facing a 70% loss in turnover compared with last season, so they will obviously want to prevent any closures.

Elsewhere Alain Berset the Swiss minister for health said over the weekend that he wanted to severely restrict the operation of the Swiss ski resorts over Christmas and the Austrians are now softening their insistence on opening in December.