Primorske Novice disappointed by govt moves on winter sports

Ljubljana – Slovenia’s winter tourism, which was hit by a warm and dry winter last year, is this year hit by coronavirus restrictions while snow is in abundance, the newspaper Primorske Novice says in Thursday’s commentary entitled From White Misfortune to Disaster.

Last year it was hit by a natural disaster, while this year will be disastrous and the government’s actions concerning ski lift operators do not seem logical.

The government first opened ski centres for a few days before Christmas, then it closed them for the holidays, and then it opened them again but only for those who have a negative Covid-19 test not older than 24 hours.

At the same time, sports facilities, gyms, and hairdressers reopened without a negative test requirement.

“It has become clear after only a few days that ski centres whose ticket will be a negative test will remain empty. Nowhere in Europe has such a stupid requirement been introduced!”

In Austria, ski centres have been open to locals since 24 December without any special requirements, except for masks.

Experts have calculated that one euro invested in ski lifts brings seven euros for the tourist area around the ski centre, but Slovenia has obviously decided to give up this money while also abolishing ski activity among the young, which has also not been done anywhere else in Europe.

In Italy, ski centres remain closed to the public, but since mid-December at least young athletes from age 6, their coaches and the adults that accompany them are allowed to ski. They are the future tourists and there is many of them today already, says Primorske Novice.

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