Christmas travel banned in Italy as ski resorts remain closed
A new law has been passed in Italy that prohibits travel between towns and regions this Christmas – a final blow for ski resorts that will likely not be able to reopen this year.
According to a government statement released this morning the new decree brings in “urgent amendments to the emergency legislation to address the health risks associated with the spread of the Covid-19 virus.”
The new rules will apply across the country and ban anybody from travelling between provinces over festive period until January. Restrictions will be tightened even further on particular days when people will not be able to leave their local towns.
“From 21 December 2020 to 6 January 2021, travel between different regions (including those to or from the autonomous provinces of Trento and Bolzano) will be prohibited, with the exception of travel motivated by proven work needs, situations of necessity or health reasons,” read the statement.
“On 25 and 26 December 2020 and 1 January 2021, travel between different municipalities will also be prohibited, with the same exceptions,” it continued.
Ministers have singled out skiing in their advice. “It will be necessary to avoid potential gatherings in places of tourist attraction linked in particular to skiing activities," said health minister Roberto Speranza
A further detailed announcement including specific rules for ski resorts is expected before tomorrow but the government has already indicated that resorts will not open before Christmas.
The Local has reported that the draft text for the decree states that slopes may reopen on January 7. “The lifts in ski areas are closed; they can only be used by professional and non-professional athletes,” states the draft.
In his plea to the EU for a continent-wide ban on skiing last week Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said it is not possible “to allow holidays on the snow. We cannot afford it.” He added that “everything that revolves around holidays on the snow is uncontrollable.”
Francesco Boccia, regional affairs minister, reaffirmed this: “With the virus numbers we are seeing, you can’t talk about normal Christmas holidays. The conditions do not permit a winter ski season,” he said.
France has already announced that ski lifts are to remain closed and border patrols are set to be implemented to stop the French from travelling abroad for ski trips. Tighter restrictions are expected in Switzerland, where resorts are open for now, and skiing in Austria will only be possible for local people from Christmas Eve.
This week Italian ski resorts have put up a fight, and presented solutions to the government in a call to allow them to reopen. Six of the country’s alpine ski regions, Piedmont, Valle d'Aosta, Lombardy, Trentino-Alto Adige/South Tyrol, Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia, have proposed limiting ski pass sales to people staying overnight in a resort, effectively banning day trippers. The proposal includes limiting capacity on lifts to 50 per cent – something Austria today has confirmed it will introduce when its resorts open.
The Italian resorts hope this will reduce crowding and help support the local businesses who stand to lose as much as 60 per cent of their annual revenue if they remain shut over the festive period.
Their plan suggested visitors would need to prove they had accommodation booked or owned a holiday home in the resort before they would be allowed on the slopes – however, this is unlikely to get passed now the new travel ban has been announced.
The rules state that Italians are also banned from visiting their second homes over Christmas. “From 21 December 2020 to 6 January 2021 it will be forbidden to move to second homes that are located in a region or autonomous province other than one's own. On 25 and 26 December 2020 and 1 January 2021, the ban will also apply to second homes located in a municipality other than their own,” confirmed the government statement.
Discussions are continuing on whether the new measures will be extended beyond January 6, which could prove disastrous for ski resorts.
