Switzerland is not considering closing the ski resorts this winter

Switzerland is not considering closing the ski resorts this winter

Switzerland is not considering closing the ski resorts this winter. "In Switzerland, the federal council, the authorities and tourism are convinced that the Swiss route is right at the moment and that the winter season can certainly take place," Markus Berger, spokesman for the Swiss tourism marketing organization Schusiz Tourismus, told DPA. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is supporting a seasonal winter holiday agreement to close all ski resorts in Europe in view of the upcoming winter holiday. She said on Thursday that she would seek the agreement of other European countries to close the centers. According to Schweiz Tourismus, this is not a new topic. According to Berger, the idea of ​​Europe-wide coordination of the opening of the season of winter sports centers between the Alpine countries was talked about informally at the end of the summer, but since they assessed it as inappropriate, they no longer paid attention to it. "We assume that this idea will not succeed even now." Like Schweiz Tourismus, a spokeswoman for Grindelwald spoke, and Merkel's efforts were rejected by Zermatt Bergbahnen, Switzerland's largest cable car operator. "We think that skiing is safe due to the COVID-19 situation," said Zermatt Bergbahnen spokesman Mathias Imoberhof. He added that the entertainment in Aprés Ski bars, which proved to be problematic in the spring, would not take place in the form that was usual. Therefore, according to him, it is not necessary to close ski resorts. "It will be seen whether the EU can push for the closure of ski resorts in the Member States. I very much doubt that it could force Switzerland to do so."