widthAs for the day. Bright sunshine and fresh snow are perfect conditions for slopes. This is the idea that many winter sports enthusiasts set out to head to the Stubai Valley in Tirol last weekend. On Saturday, the car drove 15 kilometers back to the valley from the parking lot of the glacier lift. 8,000 ski enthusiasts are counted, and 7,000 on Sunday.
The reason for such a boom is also because many Germans did not go on a ski holiday last winter. “People are eager to ski, exercise and climb mountains,” explains Catherine Propst of the Stubai Glacier Railway. Or, as the Austrian advertisement wrote in its ad: “Winter love will not let you go.” In Tyrol, hotels and guesthouses for the coming weeks and months are already well booked.
However, the current development of corona casts a shadow over the joy of winter. The increase in the number of infections and the new regulations may have been one of the decisive factors for some people going to the glacier last weekend. On Friday, Austria was declared a high-risk area by RKI. The 7-day incidence rate is close to 800. Austria has switched to the 2-G rule-vaccination and recovery period-and announced a lockdown on unvaccinated people on Monday. 2G is suitable for hotels, restaurants, after-ski and cable cars. The time for the second vaccination shall not exceed nine months. Children under the age of twelve are not subject to the 2-G rule. Considering a testing solution for children and young people between the ages of 12 and 15 who do not have a Ninja Pass (a test certificate for Austrian students). 2G is suitable for older young people. But compared with the previous year, there is a relief: there is no mask requirement for cable cars and elevators. Franz Hörl, president of the Austrian Cable Car Association, suddenly said with confidence: “You can also achieve a good winter with 2G, which is better than no season.” A few weeks ago, he publicly opposed the 3- The G rule. Obviously there is not much room for maneuver.
Quarantine for children under 12
However, for German holidaymakers with children under 12, the problem of going home still exists. At present, the Ministry of Health stipulates that for children under the age of twelve, “the quarantine will automatically end after the fifth day after entering the country, after staying in a high-risk area the last time.” Therefore, children under twelve must enter the five-day quarantine. No matter what measures are taken, parents apply. This in turn makes it almost impossible for families with children under 12 to take a ski holiday in Austria. Many people may cancel now. According to a recent survey by Österreich Werbung mentioned by the Austrian Ministry of Tourism, these families account for approximately 22% of German tourists.
Austria’s glacier ski area has been open for a few weeks. Ober Tauern is scheduled to open on November 18th, Ischgl on November 25th, and almost all other ski areas will open in early December. However, anyone planning a ski holiday should learn more about applicable regulations. Whether to go to Austria, Bavaria or Italy. In South Tyrol and other Italian ski areas, Corona regulations are currently not even stricter than Austria. The use of cable cars and elevators is the same as staying indoors in bars and restaurants with 3G, which must be proved by the so-called “green pass”. In a closed elevator, at least a surgical mask must be worn and a safe distance of one meter must be maintained. Self-check is not accepted. Rapid antigen test is valid for 48 hours in Italy and 72 hours for PCR test. Individuals must bear the costs in this regard. In addition, there is a mandatory online registration via the European Digital Passenger Localization Form.
