Austrian Alps to Open for Skiing With Ban on Apres-Ski Parties
Austrian Alps to Open for Skiing With Ban Apres-Ski Parties
(Bloomberg) -- Austria’s ski resorts will open up again this winter, though tourists will have to do without the usual off-piste partying.
In an effort to prevent the spate of coronavirus outbreaks that marred the last winter season, restaurants and bars will only be allowed to serve seated customers, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said Thursday in Vienna. He also called on Austrians to help bring down the number of infections, which have led to travel warnings from European neighbors in recent days.
“Hundreds of thousands of jobs directly or indirectly depend on tourism,” Kurz said, speaking alongside the governor of the Tyrol province. “For all fans of winter sport, one thing is clear: there will be fun on the slopes, but without apres ski.”
By announcing the move personally, Kurz underscored the importance of tourism, which accounts for about 15% of the Austrian economy. It’s also an effort at damage control.
The chancellor is under pressure to save the ski season after lax controls this spring created a Covid-19 super-spreader at the Ischgl resort in Tyrol. Victims sued his government for damages on Wednesday.
The curbs on partying, which contributes only 3% of the overall ski tourism revenue but was a major driver for the Ischgl outbreak, are the most important change for this winter season.
Tourism Minister Elisabeth Koestinger also announced other measures, including:
- Tourists are requested to keep a minimum 1-meter distance and wear masks in queuing areas and lifts, with slope operators required to limit capacity
- Ski instructors as well as hotel, restaurant and lift staff will be regularly tested
- Restaurants will be required to close at 1 a.m.
The recent uptick in new virus cases in Austria has prompted countries including Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Belgium to encourage tourists to stay away from some parts of the country, including Tyrol’s capital Innsbruck and the Vorarlberg region bordering Switzerland.
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