The opening of ski lifts in ski resorts in February is "
a matter of life and death for a number of players,
" Dominique Marcel, CEO of Compagnie des Alpes, told
BFM Business
on Friday
.
Read also: Ski resorts fear they will be closed for the February holidays
“
If we don't open in February, we have to look reality in the face, the season is over, some stations are going to have real problems of existence,
” he added.
The Compagnie des Alpes operates ten ski areas.
"
We need visibility so that people can book sufficiently in advance
" for the February holidays which represent "
40% or even more of turnover
", said Dominique Marcel who said he was in "
a situation very difficult to anxiety
”, while hoping for“
a quick decision
”.
"
Our reservations, which were already lower every week, are decreasing
", he regretted.
"
We are in open spaces
", without "
restaurants
" or "
nightclubs
", he argued, arguing that there was "
no more
"
risk
of being contaminated by Covid-19 in ski resorts than “
in shopping centers
” or “
in the metro
”.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced that a point would be made with mountain professionals on January 20 to study a possible reopening of ski lifts in early February and "
give them visibility by working with them to develop 'a structured and progressive opening method
'.
Read also: Covid-19: vaccine, curfew, variant viruses, restaurants, skiing ... What to remember from Castex's announcements
The Prime Minister said he understood “
the concern of elected officials and mountain professionals
”, while the winter season is “
vital for these territories.
” In a first progress report of the season, mountain professionals mountain reported this week an occupancy rate in "
free fall
", citing the loss of turnover for the entire sector to 1.5 billion euros over the two weeks of Christmas holidays .
