Le Grand-Bornand, Saint-Lary-Soulan, Alpe-d'Huez… This winter the snow is definitely there, but the 250 French ski resorts are barely open, under the influence of the health crisis linked to Covid- 19.
The CEO of Club Med, Henri Giscard d'Estaing, wrote this Sunday to Prime Minister Jean Castex to ask him to reopen these major tourist places during the winter holidays.
The objective is clearly stated: "to save" the mountain of "despair", summarizes the leader in his open letter, published in Le Journal du dimanche (JDD).
In three weeks, February 6, begins a crucial moment for mountain tourism: winter holidays weigh 30% of the activity of ski resorts.
Before that, in three days, Jean Castex must rule on the merits of a possible reopening of the ski lifts.
“On January 20, you will decide on the survival of the French mountain.
It is the fate of one of the rare French world leaders, and of its players, which is in your hands, ”writes Henri Giscard d'Estaing, whose group has 14 mountain clubs.
Club Med employs 4,200 people in its Alpine villages, "most of whom are currently at home in partial employment".
For the manager, the assistance plan deployed at the time of the end of year holidays is a "minimal" compensation.
An opening in March deemed unnecessary
"Winter sports represent 50% of the GDP of Savoie, and a little less in Haute-Savoie," recalls the boss of Club Med in an interview with JDD published in addition to the letter.
“More than 100,000 seasonal jobs could disappear,” he insists.
Without winter holidays, there is no season.
For Henri Giscard d'Estaing, "authorizing winter sports resorts to only welcome customers at the beginning of March would make as much sense as the opening of the beaches in October".
The turnover recorded between March and April "represents only 20% of the total" of the activity, recalls the manager.
Mountain professionals and elected officials have, before him, urged the executive to act for the survival of their sector.
"A final date must be given on January 20 at the latest in order to better prepare the February holidays", had demanded the National Association of Mayors of Mountain Resorts (ANMSM), also urging the government to "compensate in full the losses suffered in recent months ”.
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“Club Med, with its partners, has been investing between 120 and 150 million euros per year for several years.
One season is € 10 billion in turnover for all players.
An opening, even partial, would avoid despair, ”concludes the manager.