Cable car specialist group chairman Gapp: “Many are rethinking their planned investments.”
The Vorarlberg cable car companies expect a fall in sales of 160 million euros in the 2020/21 winter season due to the corona pandemic. The companies put their slump in some cases over 90 percent, mainly due to the absence of foreign ski guests, reported the “Vorarlberger Nachrichten” . As far as state support is concerned, Andreas Gapp, chairman of the cable car group in the Vorarlberg Chamber of Commerce, expected “exciting negotiations”.
“From an economic point of view, the whole thing is a catastrophe for us and is forcing many to rethink their planned investments,” said Gapp about the industry. As expected, the local skiers could not have made up for the absence of foreign guests.
Easter
According to the newspaper report, there is also uncertainty with regard to the end of the season because it is not possible to plan due to the constantly changing framework conditions caused by politics. In Lech, Zürs and Oberlech, for example, they are planning to keep the facilities open until April 11, but it could also be closed on April 5, Easter Monday. At the Silvretta Montafon (SiMo) you want to climb from week to week.
In Gargellen the systems are to run until April 11th, but from March 12th only on weekends and possibly on Easter weekend. In Warth am Arlberg and in the Brandnertal the ski season ends on April 5th this year, as well as in the Golm ski area in Montafon.
The Bregenzerwald ski area Diedamskopf in Au / Schoppernau has brought the end of the season forward to February 28th. The last day of skiing in Klostertal on the Sonnenkopf was unsafe. April 18th is officially mentioned there, but it could also be April 5th or 11th.
