Business | Tourism
Alpine resorts are nervous as recession begins to peak
The past few Alpine ski seasons have melted away under the spectre of global warming, as balmy conditions raised fears about the future of Europe's fabled winter resorts.
- AP
- Published: 23:41 December 23, 2008
Geneva: The past few Alpine ski seasons have melted away under the spectre of global warming, as balmy conditions raised fears about the future of Europe's fabled winter resorts.
This year, the Alps have been blessed with abundant snow, bright skies, and perfect powder, but there's little cheer as resorts feel the pinch from a new threat: the global financial crisis.
Economic gloom and fluctuating exchange rates are weighing heavily across the Alps, making resort operators nervous.
The upside for skiers and snowboarders may be cheaper offers for lift tickets and lodging in what promises to be a year of top conditions on the slopes.
"Mother Nature is at least on our side," said Daniel Luggen, head of tourism in Zermatt, Switzerland, which sits just below the famous Matterhorn peak. "There's no panic about the financial crisis, but there's concern of course."
Zermatt, with its legions of loyal visitors, is likely to be spared a drop in hotel bookings this season, Luggen said. But others will not be so lucky.
A Swiss study is predicting a 2.4 per cent fall in overnight stays across the country this winter, and Switzerland Tourism says the decline will be steeper if the nation's appreciating currency - a result of global market turmoil - continues its upward swing.
Spokeswoman Edith Zweifel said a 10 per cent rise in the Swiss franc against the euro would translate into a seven per cent drop in hotel bookings as EU residents - the top tourists in Switzerland - seek cheaper options elsewhere or stay at home.
She said the pain will start next month after the Christmas season. Resorts then seek last-minute arrangements that are more dependent on cash in the consumer's pocket.
"Starting in the second half of January people will be more sensitive to the amount of money they can spend each day," Zweifel said. "That means the resorts, the hotels, the tourist operators have to come up with the right offers." The concerns mirror the fears of the tourism sector as a whole, which is suffering from declining hotel occupancy rates and air travel. The global hotel industry is anticipating a dismal fourth quarter and a very uncertain 2009.
Ski resorts in Austria expect fewer Americans and Britons, and a levelling off of Arab and Russian tourists known for their lavish spending, said Stefan Bracher, spokesman for the Kitzbuehel-based Eurotours.
There are some signs of cautious optimism. In Italy, where the ski season has yet to fully start, resort operators hope the high number of Italians owning ski chalets will be an important factor, even if the crisis forces some to cut back on days off from work.
Many Italians "don't have to pay for hotels. This definitely helps us," said Gianfranco Talamini, director of a Skipass office in Cortina d'Ampezzo, northern Italy.
And in France, there is little to no talk of the financial crisis. The number of foreigners at French ski stations is expected to jump at least five per cent this year, according to Christian Rochette, director of Ski France International.
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