Over 3,000 Ski Areas Open in 50+ Countries

It is believed that somewhere between 3,000 and 5,000 ski areas may currently be operational in more than 50 countries across the northern hemisphere.

The numbers are back to the norm for late-December after thousands in leading ski nations in Europe were kept closed due to the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic this time last year.

This season everywhere is open and most ski nations have their borders fully or partially open, with increased restrictions on arrivals from some countries, and/or unvaccinated people.

Over 1,200 ski areas are believed to be open in China and Japan but they have their borders closed to tourists.  France has blocked tourism from the UK due to high numbers of the omicron variant there.  

Austria and Slovakia had both closed their ski slopes to tourists earlier this month, but both are now open and currently no other ski nation is known to be in lockdown.

So the numbers of ski areas open are now at their highest levels  since the weeks before the pandemic went global in March 2020.

(Pictured top: Bansko in Bulgaria)