Some 200 British holidaymakers forced to respect a ten-day quarantine in the Swiss ski resort of Verbier have fled clandestinely in favor of the night, the municipality said on Sunday.
About 200 of the 420 or so British holidaymakers stricken in Verbier by the quarantine measures imposed by the Swiss government on travelers coming from Britain since December 14, have taken to the skies, the SonntagsZeitung reported.
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The upscale resort of Verbier, very popular with British customers, hoped to welcome thousands of skiers from Great Britain, but the discovery of the new British variant of the novel coronavirus has shattered those hopes.
Some British tourists staying in Verbier left immediately, but others decided to stay a little longer, explained the communications officer for the municipality of Bagnes, Jean-Marc Sandoz.
"Angry with Switzerland"
Many remained in quarantine for a day before fleeing in favor of the night, he told the ATS news agency.
“It was when they saw that the meal trays remained intact that the hoteliers noticed that the customers were gone,”
added Mr. Sandoz.
“We can't blame them.
In most cases the quarantine was untenable.
Imagine staying at four in a hotel room of 20 m2, ”
he added.
The tourists left
"a little angry with Switzerland"
and with the feeling of having been
"trapped"
, added Mr. Sandoz.
British tourists normally represent 21% of the clientele of this Valais resort, voted the best ski resort in Switzerland for the past two years.
Two cases of the new British variant of the coronavirus have been detected in Switzerland and one in neighboring Liechtenstein, the Swiss Ministry of Health said on Sunday.
Two cases of the South African variant have also been reported.