Most Swiss Ski Areas Now Open for 20-21 Season
Over 100 Swiss ski areas are now open, most boasting fabulous conditions but with strict operating restrictions due to the pandemic and few international visitors. Most of the remainder of the country’s ski areas will open next weekend.
Switzerland has high virus infection rates and individual cantons have closed down many facilities but, despite repeated speculation and pressure from its neighbours which have closed their resorts, Swiss ski slopes have so far stayed open.
Among the ski areas now open are Samnaun, which usually shares a cross-border ski area with neighbouring Ischgl in Austria, however the slopes on the Austrian side are closed until Christmas Eve, when locals can ski, then tourists are currently allowed to arrive from 7th January. The same situation is the case in the Cervinia-Zermatt ski area with the Italian slopes closed, and in the Portes du Soleil that links France and Switzerland. Here a small amount of terrain opened on the Swiss side at the weekend.
The French government has said French skiers who head in to Switzerland to ski over Christmas and New Year may be fined.
There have been social media images at various times over the past month of long and apparently not socially-distanced queues of skiers waiting to board lifts in Engelberg, Verbier and Zermatt and in each case the resort has then gone on a PR offensive to stress their strong efforts to operate according to pandemic safety requirements.
All areas are stressing the need for skiers and boarders to stick to the rules in order for resorts to be able to stay open. Verbier has hired ‘COVID Angels” to work over the nest few weeks to help ensure rules are followed, the resort says they’ll be supported by police.
In many cases there are also restrictions being placed on the number of skiers allowed on the mountain and riding enclosed lifts, following the North American model.
(Gstaad pictured top)
