Industry News
Following the government enforced closure of Cervinia ski area, Italy, on Sunday for what appears to be overcrowding, Times.co.uk is reporting that the Italian government has shut ski lifts for a month.
The latest order was delivered in an emergency decree. Only professional skiers will be allowed on Italy’s slopes to train. The last-minute decision has angered tourists who had trips planned. Officials at Cervinia said their slopes would stay shut until safety guidelines from ANEF, the national ski resort association, were approved. The resort strongly denies the accusations being leveled at them:
“There were queues on Saturday but they didn’t last long and it was because we did more than necessary. We took the temperature of every skier and understood how to improve.”
– Matteo Zanetti, president of Cervino SpA
Valeria Ghezzi, president of ANEF, added:
“If the lifts don’t open the entire economy of the Alps will suffer. Skiing is a naturally distanced activity. A big issue is the capacity of the cabin lifts, but the journey time is short, the cabins are ventilated and people will be wearing facemasks. It’s a psychological question more than anything.”
Cervinia ski area had opened for the season on Saturday, 24th October, before being forced to close the next day following an Italian government’s Emergency Decree.
- Related: VIDEO: Work Starts on Highest Lift in Europe, Running Between Zermatt, Switzerland & Cervinia, Italy
Although there has been no official reason for the closure, it is believed that crowded lift lines may be the cause, resulting in the resort not abiding by Covid-19 restrictions put in place by the government.
A statement on the resort’s Facebook page said:
My friends,
As you may already know, the new DPCM, issued today, provides for the closure of the lifts pending the guidelines validated by the Technical and Scientific Committee.
We hope it will happen soon and reopen soon, in compliance with the new rules. We will keep you posted.
The weekend just spent saw our area at the center of media attention, due to some images that have gone viral. We are sorry for what happened, especially for the fact that someone has doubted the professionalism of women and men who, in a difficult context and thanks to the precious collaboration of law enforcement, worked relentlessly to allow the winter season to open In absolute respect of the security protocols in force.
Today’s day, with a few small adjustments and further stimulating the online purchase of the skipass, even the outdoor queue of the ticket office has been practically zero.
We thank those who have chosen our location these days acting responsibly and those many who, with their messages, have shown us their closeness.
See you soon!
Many of the post comments are in support of the resort and their employees, who were doing their utmost to ensure the day went smoothly.
Too bad 4 fake and tendentious photos ruined everything and were used by those who wanted to get to this! Everything was perfect, wonderful! I hope you open very soon! We are with you!!!
Today I was there and from the point of view of protocols, I have never felt safer, no queues at the ticket office, no queues at the implants, all wearing a mask and clean mountain air 2500-3500 meters.
Today I came skiing there and there was nothing out of place everyone respected the regulations against covid people rather than writing shit about Cervinia who would inform themselves. Thanks to the staff at Cervinia Valtournenche-Ski Paradise today I had fun safely hope I can come next Sunday too.
Italy recorded 17,012 new cases of coronavirus yesterday (10/25) and 141 deaths. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the country has seen 542,789 cases and 37,479 deaths.
Cervinia is an alpine resort in the Aosta Valley region of northwest Italy. It is a frazione of the comune of Valtournenche. Cervinia lies at 2,006 m (6,581 ft) above sea level, at the foot of the Matterhorn (in Italian, Monte Cervino; in French, Mont Cervin, in patois valtournain, the local dialect, Gran Becca), in a valley surrounded by high, glaciated mountains and the sheer rock face of the Jumeaux. It shares a ski area with Zermatt in Switzerland, connected through the Plateau Rosa glacier (3,500 m [11,500 ft]). Some of the runs are very long; the longest is Ventina (nr. 7), which stretches 22 km (14 mi) from the Testa Grigia (in French, Tête Grise) down to Cervinia in Italy. The ski season in Cervinia lasts 6 months in winter and in summer on the glacier Plateau Rosa.
https://www.facebook.com/Skicool/posts/3495176200550705 This is a link to Skicool’s FB page. He had a great ski at Cervinia. He said the police were there as guides and there were ‘Team Lifts’ and ‘Amateur’ lifts etc etc. He found no real problems.
But this picture and The Headline and fullofcrap story got some ‘traction’.
This caused widespread panic on Elite Skiing’s comments on FB.
Other comments on Elite Skiing page explained that the line in the picture was outside, before the lift-line and formed of those who needed to buy season’s passes… These line-ups are OUTSIDE and it looks like Everyone is wearing a frkn mask.
Austria says lifts are equivalent to public transit. Covid rules apply. ‘What’s the big deal ?’ No indoor lunch or apres. So what ? Welcome to the 60’s.
So I want Snow-brains and J2SKI to man-up and do a little more research.
I want current Facts because I live in Whistler and Vail is just another dumb capitalist organisation who don’t have a clue what is going on.
I/WE/They need to see more factual information on the Euro-zone.
ps: Whistler/Blackcomb have dumped all their volunteers this winter. No part-time for pass ski-instructors. No Mtn Hosts. NO Events Department. No Speed Control. NO Vollie Ski-patrol. How the hell they are gonna run this large a mountain with No Vollie Patrollers; I don’t know. This is worth some journalism too.
Looks like a old russian food line to mr