Fewer, but satisfied guests

  08.02.2021 Local News

What had already become apparent after the Christmas holidays continued over the New Year. There were significantly fewer snow sports enthusiasts than in previous years due to the pandemic-related restrictions and the bad weather over the holidays.

“It has already become quieter after Christmas,” said Hans-Ruedi Steiner, CEO of Bergbahn Wasserngrat 2000 AG, describing his observations in early January: “It is by no means a case of an abrupt absence of guests, but we notice that most of the holiday guests have obviously left again.” From an economic point of view, the holidays were not profitable, as has often been mentioned. “But if the facilities had been closed, the damage, also for the destination, would have been immensely higher,” Steiner is convinced.

After a very good November with many snow sports enthusiasts and pedestrians, the weather turned against the Glacier 3000 on the most important days between Christmas and New Year. “From 27 December we had to keep the lifts closed for several days because of the strong wind,” says Bernhard Tschannen, managing director of Glacier 3000 AG. Accordingly, he draws a rather mixed holiday balance.

The rescue statistics of Rega and Air-Glaciers also show a decline. The lower number of rescue flights is the logical consequence of the lower number of guests. Air-Glaciers helicopters took off for 133 rescue missions between 19 December and 3 January, a decrease of more than 50 per cent. Swiss Air-Rescue Rega also recorded a decline with 380 flights from 24 December to 2 January. This is a decline of approximately 20 per cent. Rega does not report the specific figures for individual bases or regions.

BASED ON AVS/JENNY STERCHI


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