Germany, France and Italy want to keep their winter sports resorts closed until January for fear of possible coronavirus infections. And they are campaigning for all ski resorts in Europe to close. Switzerland, on the other hand, is resisting this move, as is Austria. The local slogan is: protection concepts instead of closures.
Swiss tourism and mountain railway representatives are confident that this will be enough to prevent a second Ischgl. Ischgl had developed into a coronavirus hotspot during the first wave of infections. Meanwhile, the tourism industry does not see itself as benefiting from closures in neighboring Alpine countries. After all, mainly Swiss guests are expected.
Hardly any guests from abroad
"The advertising campaign we have just launched is focused on the Swiss market," says Martin Vincenz, CEO of Graubünden Ferien, when asked by the news portal AWP. In the summer and fall, domestic guests already accounted for 80 percent of overnight stays. Bookings from abroad are also likely to remain largely absent - at least for the time being.
The reason for this is clear: travel restrictions abroad and the quarantine obligation when returning from Switzerland largely prevent guests from coming from abroad. It is also in Switzerland's interest to maintain good relations with neighboring countries, says Simona Altwegg from Zermatt Tourism.
Ultimately, however, open borders are needed as a basis for international tourism, says Vincenz. And much currently depends on the course of the pandemic, of course. Ultimately, each country is making its own risk assessment. The extent to which guests from Switzerland can make up for the lack of foreign tourists remains to be seen. Many bookings are currently being made at very short notice, according to various sources.
However, Zermatt Tourism is reporting significantly lower bookings than in previous years. Nevertheless, Graubünden reports that there is already high demand for vacation apartments and vacation homes in most destinations. However, the bookings are almost exclusively domestic, while guests from Germany, the most important foreign market, have often canceled their trips as a precaution and are now waiting to see how things develop.
Closures not expected in Switzerland
Meanwhile, it is not expected that cable cars and ski lifts will be closed in Switzerland, as was the case in spring. "We've done our homework, our protection concepts are working," says Michael Kirchner from Engadin St. Moritz Mountain.
This applies to the mountain railroads: Where the minimum distance of 1.5 meters cannot be maintained, a mask must be worn. The mask requirement applies in waiting and queuing areas in front of stations inside and outside buildings as well as for ski lifts and chairlifts.
Some mountain railway companies are also extending their operating hours to avoid large crowds. Online sales are also being promoted - for example in Laax, where day and half-day tickets are only available online. Or even reservation systems are being introduced for a mountain trip, such as in the Andermatt-Sedrun ski arena.
No après-ski
However, the waiting time before the start of operations at the valley stations could become a challenge, says Simona Altwegg from Zermatt Tourism. This could be remedied by additional staff who draw guests' attention to social distancing rules. However, it is also possible to adjust the bus timetable to allow people to wait decentrally.
However, Altwegg is convinced that there will be no après-ski like in normal winters. This is because masks are also compulsory in restaurants - only those who have been seated are allowed to remove their masks. The following applies: drinks and food may only be consumed while seated.
And only a maximum of four people are allowed to sit together at one table. Families - i.e. grandparents, parents and children - are exempt from this. But only if they live in the same household, which is hardly a realistic scenario for many families. (AWP/Jurij Lambrecht)
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