Swiss Ski Centres Divided, Big Resorts Doing Well, Smaller Centres Closed
Swiss Ski Centres Divided, Big Resorts Doing Well, Smaller Centres Closed
Published : 27-Feb-2023 10:02
The main Swiss destination ski resorts are reported to have bounced back after some faced snow-shortage issues at the start of the years.
Swissinfo reports the Franco-Swiss Portes du Soleil ski area says it is enjoyed record business in February after having limited terrain open in the first half of January. Although February was largely dry and the latter half warm, most resorts have kept most of their terrain open and say the sunshine helped boost visitor numbers.
Most medium to large centres say that business since mid-January has more than made up for lower-than-usual visitors and revenue over Christmas and New Year. Whether 22-23 ends up an above or below average winter now depends on how March plays out.
However the warm weather has exacerbated the problem that smaller, lower altitude ski centres in Switzerland and around the world have been facing, with dozens closing in February as the warm weather melted away again what snow cover they had. Some only opened in mid-January and were forced to closed again after only a 4-6 week ski season, they're reporting 30-60% falls in business.
One small ski resort covered by Swissinfo described the situation as "a real challenge" with money needed to invest in new lifts and modern snowmaking as equipment ages, but then with the risk that the machinery stands idle if it is too warm for them to work.
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