Styrian Ski Areas - Nervous About Coming Season

Despite the investment offensive, the Styrian cable car operators are worried about the next Corona winter at the start of the season.

In a few days the time has come: the preparations for the ski season are in the home straight, one ski area after another will open up in the coming days and weeks. With investments of 55 million euros, the white and green cable car companies have brought their systems and slopes up to date. So nothing stands in the way of skiing fun, one might think. “Nevertheless, a difficult season is ahead of us,” says Fabrice Girardoni, chairman of the Styrian cable cars.

Because the stricter corona rules also pose great challenges for the cable car industry: "After the catastrophic last season with sales collapses of up to 70 percent in Styria, the 2G rule is now a season in which the unvaccinated segment will be completely eliminated . In any case, we will lose permanent guest potential. "

It is positive, however, that with the 2G rule, the capacity restrictions and the mask requirement for the lifts are a thing of the past. “We can give everyone who can come a normal skiing experience. As AGES has also confirmed, there were no skiing clusters in the previous year. We have done our homework and can offer the guests an open-air sport that is corona-safe. ”The companies have also upgraded technically: In future, lift tickets will be activated with the Green Pass so that the turnstiles allow ski guests to pass with valid proof.

Strong minus for day guests

Girardoni is expecting a strong decrease in the number of day visitors, "because we assume that willingness to vaccinate those willing to travel is higher than that of day visitors". One ski area that relies heavily on day visitors is the one on the Veitsch-Brunnalm, where two million euros have been invested this year in lifts, slope widening and an improved range of activities for children. Cable car boss Arno Russ sees it pragmatically: “Of course we implement the rules, there is no alternative. But with a share of 90 percent day visitors, we're already worried about business. ”Vaccine skeptics would definitely look for alternatives on two boards. “We are expecting a lot of tourers this year too,” he says.

It is also still unclear how the current situation will affect ski course bookings. "Due to the high Corona numbers, we are assuming massive failures," said Girardoni. The interest would be enormous, as a survey by the Styrian Education Directorate shows less than two weeks ago: According to this, 80 percent of Styrian schools had planned a winter sports week. 

Lots of open questions

But now 2G (also apart from the ski courses) raises a wealth of questions: Although the new Corona regulation provides that the ninja pass is valid as 2G proof for twelve to 15-year-olds, but how do you deal with high school students around? And what does the tightening mean for foreign children and young people over the age of twelve who cannot show a ninja pass? Does the ninja pass also apply as 2G proof for local students during the holidays? And how do you deal with foreign guests who have been vaccinated with vaccines such as Sputnik that are not approved in Austria? 

Questions after questions that need answers quickly. "We need solutions here so that there is no further uncertainty," demands Girardoni. 

More bad news for the cable car industry is of course the fact that Germany has classified the Alpine republic as a high-risk country. "With the quarantine regulation for high-risk countries, unvaccinated people have to be quarantined after their return. There is a risk of a huge wave of cancellations if families have to cancel their vacation on a large scale.

Relief measures asked

The bottom line is that in the second winter of the pandemic, the companies will face a Herculean task: "If we now have to cope with another 30 percent loss - as is forecast in other 2G industries such as catering - this will become a question of existence for some", so Girardoni. In order to support the industry, he calls for help measures such as the adjustment of loss covers or fixed cost subsidies. Because the cable cars with their 1,300 jobs in the regions are an indispensable value-added turbo: Before the crisis, 371.6 million euros were generated in added value.

New corona rules

A 2G certificate must be provided when traveling by cable car: Skiers must therefore be vaccinated or have recovered. Children up to the age of 12 do not have to provide proof of 2G. For children and young people from the age of twelve up to the completion of compulsory schooling (9th grade), the ninja pass (also on Friday, Saturday and Sunday) is valid as proof.