As Europe continues to experience a fourth wave of Covid-19 infections, and Austria today goes into a 20-day “firebreak” lockdown, British skiers are being urged to keep calm.
Tour operators are remaining positive, thanks to the determination of ski nations to keep resorts open.
“It would be unrealistic not to be concerned by the lockdown in Austria, and we have to accept the road ahead for this season will be bumpy,” says Rupert Longsdon, CEO of Oxford Ski, which operates across Europe, in Japan and in North America.
“As you would expect the lockdown in Austria has given cause for concern from some people, and we have seen a switch [in new bookings] towards France, Switzerland and Italy, which is only expected.”
The lockdown restrictions in Austria are due to be lifted on December 13, and while most operators are due to start their season after this date and remain currently unaffected, some skiers have been disappointed.
Ski Instructor Academy Austria (SIA) has just sent home 200 student ski instructors from Kaprun, and St Anton chalet operator Kaluma Ski has refunded and deferred holidays due to start on December 9.
Kaluma Ski director Andy Butterworth says: “We were fully booked from December 9, so it’s a huge disappointment, but the lockdown restrictions are expected to end on December 13, with resorts open by December 14.
“We remain very optimistic about the season ahead, understanding that this lockdown is being done to protect the rest of the winter. The ski season [in Austria] is expected to be in full swing by the weekend of December 18.”
With vaccination rates, for the most part, strong across Europe, the current spike in cases is expected to abate in the same way as it has done in the UK. Here is the latest situation across key ski nations.
Austria
- Vaccination rate: 64.29%
- Case rate (per million): 1492.56 (up from 537.87 on Nov 1)
- Patients in intensive care (per million): 47.88 (up from 34.06 on Nov 1)
- Death rate (per million): 4.80
With the number of new infections in Austria at the highest since the pandemic began, there is a 20-day lockdown in place, due to end on December 13. Some glaciers are still operating to local skiers only. Austria (like most countries) is basing its lockdown strategy on the number of patients in intensive care and sources suggest the recent spike is due an increase in cases in regions with lower vaccination rates.
Switzerland
- Vaccination rate: 64.82%
- Case rate (per million): 527.47 (up from 186.69 on Nov 1)
- Patients in intensive care (per million): 17.67 (up from 12.74 on Nov 1)
- Death rate (per million): 0.93
“The Swiss kept ski lifts running last winter, which gave us invaluable experience of operating a relatively normal service during a pandemic,” says Tom Avery, managing director of chalet company Ski Verbier. “While travel rules change constantly, skiing is part of the Swiss way of life and a significant contributor to the nation’s economy and it gives us peace of mind that the authorities seem determined to keep the country open and everything operating as close to normal as is possible.”
France
- Vaccination rate: 68.95%
- Case rate (per million): 254.63 (up from 88.97 on Nov 1)
- Patients in intensive care (per million): 17.91 (up from 15.82 on Nov 1)
- Death rate (per million): 0.68
Last week, French tourism minister Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne spoke exclusively to Telegraph Travel, assuring skiers that closing French ski resorts “is not an option”. There are, however, health and safety precautions in place (such as requiring Covid passes on ski lifts if infection rates pass 200 cases per 100,000 inhabitants).
Chalet company Consensio operates across France and director Ceri Tinley said things are very much “business as usual” thanks to the government’s rhetoric.
She added: “Guests are currently paying balances for their holidays as they become due 10 weeks out, and organising all concierge – ski instructors, transfers and nannies – as normal.”
