When will the ski lifts open?
The question is still not decided this Monday, November 30.
“We will know more a little before December 15, during the update on deconfinement.
We are working to deepen the conditions for this reopening.
At the beginning of January, mid-January or the end of January, the operators themselves have different assessments, ”
replied Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, the Secretary of State for Tourism, during a press conference, held at the beginning of the following year. - midday, following the meeting this morning of mountain actors with Prime Minister Jean Castex.
“We have been working for several weeks on preparing for the winter season with mountain stakeholders. The exchanges are daily
, recalled Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne.
After those of Monday November 23 and that of today, a new big meeting is planned by Matignon on December 11 ”
.
New meeting on December 11
Val-Thorens station Delphine Poggianti / Delphotostock - stock.adobe.com
The Secretary of State insisted on the fact that the sanitary protocol drawn up by the actors of the mountain was not in question but that the ban on opening ski lifts,
"the main attractiveness of the resorts",
had aim to avoid
“excessive crowds”.
“
The professionals say it themselves, nothing would be worse than having to close ski areas after opening them.
However, currently, we are observing a decline in the epidemic but we still record 10,000 to 15,000 new cases of Covid-19 per day, while in May, before the summer vacation, there were 4,000,
a- he insisted.
And in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté regions, where a large part of the French massifs are located, there were still medical evacuations last weekend ”.
Read also: Ski resorts closed at Christmas: “dismay” and “amazement” among mountain professionals
The Secretary of State for Tourism has, however, announced an increase in government aid to mountain professionals.
Such as a
"new ad hoc device to compensate ski lift companies, public and private".
And support for related activities, such as food stores in resorts and valleys, the results of which depend on tourist frequentation.
Read also: Ski resorts: the government is preparing an economic support system
Outdoor activities permitted
"Professionals anticipate frequentation of the resorts of around 30%, regardless of the ski lifts,"
he commented.
This week, we will therefore work on the outdoor activities that can be practiced this end of the year ”.
And to mention in particular the snow gardens for small children, snowshoes, dog sledding, Nordic skiing and ski touring.
"It is obvious, but anything that is not prohibited will be authorized,"
said Minister, insisting on
"the importance of continuing to secure areas with avalanche triggers".
Read also: Without downhill skiing, what you can do in the resort at Christmas
It is important to continue to promote the mountain
Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne
“As soon as we have more visibility, we will, with Atout France, prepare and calibrate promotional campaigns,
” concluded Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne.
It is important to continue to promote the mountain.
Christmas is 20% of the ski season, so make sure the remaining 80% goes as smoothly as possible.
We will also focus, with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, on snow classes.
We are indeed witnessing a decrease in learning to ski by young people who are the customers of tomorrow ”.
This should put a little balm in the hearts of mountain players who have complained for years about the scarcity of snow classes ... Too bad it took a pandemic to worry about it.
But, as they say, bad luck is good for everything.
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