Tignes launches a season without certainty

In late spring, glacier skiing was like catching up on a season that had passed away due to a pandemic. The opening, this Saturday, October 16, of the Tignes glacier is more of an appetizer: the government assures us, the opening of the ski lifts this winter is no doubt, even in the event of a new wave of the Covid-19 epidemic.

“This winter, it’s open! “, proclaim mountain professionals everywhere, who we discover lovers of paronomases. Over the next few weeks, communication campaigns will be deployed on social networks, television channels and stations in order to bring the French back to the stations.

In 2020, they had not completely deserted, especially in the “village resorts”. With honorable attendance figures, the various players were able to partially offset their losses linked to the first confinement. For their part, the large accommodation providers, Pierre & Vacances and Club Med, have had much more trouble relaunching their activity.

The suspense is maintained at least until the next Defense Council, Wednesday 20 October

With less than two months of the opening of the main stations, the sector has little certainty. The Secretary of State in charge of tourism, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, tried to give some at the congress of the Domaines skiables de France (DSF), on September 30: “The common law does not provide that the sanitary pass is requested in the ski lifts. ” This is how glacier skiing will take place in Tignes. For the rest, the suspense is maintained at least until the next Defense Council, Wednesday, October 20.

The players in favor of the pass in the ski lifts believe that this would reassure customers and that a change of rules during the season would send the wrong message. Opponents, on the other hand, believe that such an imposition at the foot of the slopes would turn into a greedy headache in human resources.

By continuing to hesitate, France stands out, as tour operators begin to market their winter stays. Austria and Italy decided last month to impose the health pass in the stations, while the Swiss authorities seem to be leaning in its favor but have not yet decided.

The problem concerns more foreign customers

In fact, the health pass is not a major issue for the French public in winter sports resorts, with very high vaccination rates among high income earners, who constitute the bulk of the clientele. It should be essential for life in the resorts anyway, as the government seems to have decided to maintain the device in bars and restaurants beyond November 15.

You have 36.85% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.