Ischgl Cancels the Rest of Its Ski Season
3rd March 2021
Last modified on May 12th, 2021
The Austrian resort says the continuing pandemic and its shared slopes with Switzerland mean it cannot see a way to open the season within all the rules. The resort was seen as a super-spreader of the virus a year ago.
“We’ve been dreading this moment for a long time but the final decision has been made: For the first time in the history of the Ischgl ski resort, we won’t been seeing a single day of skiing in the winter season,” said the resort on social media.
“It wasn’t an easy decision and we know we have kept you waiting, mostly because we didn’t want to give up hope that a different skiing could be possible.”
The lift company has given further details.
“Unfortunately the pre-conditions for commencing border-spanning ski operations in the Silvretta Arena have gradually deteriorated in the past few weeks,” said a statement from the lift company, Silvrettaseilbahn AG.
“In view of the still worrisome occurrences of infection, tightened travel restrictions and a lack of prospects for opening measures for the hotel and catering sector, commencing ski operations is less tenable than ever.
“There was no alternative other than to make a decision to no longer continue with the winter season”.
The resort spent €750,000 last autumn making the resort Covid-19 secure and had hoped to open at some stage.
It tried to open several times, but it was not to be.
The South African variant of the virus has surged in the Tirol recently with the state placed under special rules.
People are not allowed to leave the Tirol without a negative test and a test is also needed to use the ski slopes.
Uncertainties still linked to the pandemic have meant that confidence has gone down further in the past weeks.
The latest policy announcements regarding commencement of ski operations this winter by the authorities have “made all requisite preparations by Silvrettaseilbahn AG unrealistic.”
It is a further massive blow for the local economy that is based on tourism.
Other local ski areas in the valley, See, Kappl and Galtür, remain open.
However, hotels remain closed and bars/restaurants can open only for outside service on March 27th.
Like the slopes, they can only be used with a negative test.
See here for our updated report on the rules and regulations in Austria and all the main ski nations in Europe.
The resort faces an uphill battle to defend its reputation following the outbreak last winter than attracted global media interest.
Ischgl is hoping to be able to open in the summer with an opening date set for 25th June.
Here at PlanetSKI we have plans for a visit to the Tirol this summer if conditions allow – summer skiing on the Hintertux glacier, enjoying all the activities on offer and hopefully we will pass through Ischgl too.
We were last in Ischgl in the summer back in 2017, taking advantage of the area on a motorbike – hired from the resort.
PlanetSKI editor, James Cove, was in his element.
PlanetSKI on summer trip to Ischgl. Image c/o PlanetSKI.
The food in the summer in Ischgl is not bad either:
At this stage the resort is planning to open for next winter on 25th November 2021.
