Christmas 2020 Skiing Likely To Be Cancelled?

[NinnyNewName]

We booked back in January (we have been xmas skiing for the lsat 8 years).

Going with Esprit, to France.

Not likely to happen is it?

@texarkana the quarantine will definitely be reduced to 5 days with a prebooked test at the end from 15th December.

Insurance will still be an issue if FCDO restrictions don't change. Although there are companies selling insurance to FCDO restricted countries. This is a frustrating extra cost for those of us who already have annual travel insurance taken out before the pandemic.

Having ones child stuck in self isolation due to coming into contact with a case at school in the days prior to a holiday is my biggest worry.

However the government have indicated that they will be bringing down the number of days of self isolation once rapid tests become more readily available.

Agree it’s not easy

But if you take kids out couple of days before that reduces issues of track and trace - schools doing zoom lessons which reduces impact

Works not an issue for me as I’m 2m from everyone in theory so can’t be named

I don’t leave my details at track and trace places - won’t get into that one

I won’t travel against fco advice but some ski resorts are ok even now but regardless package holidays to non fco corridors are cancelled/refunded by default as I experienced in summer as it’s against ABTA rules

Insurance covers last minute isolation and local lockdown rules

So actually cost wise it’s covered on all basis

It may not happen but it’s defo possible!

I had same concerns in summer and missed out as half my family jetted to Greece

I won’t make mistake this time - if there’s a window I’m off!

Also with regard isolation - liverpool - where I am is currently trialling isolation testing

You are tested everyday for a week and if not postive ur free

No isolation at all during whole process of those 7 days

Lots of changes currently and all positive

Switzerland are saying queues will be socially distanced with limited numbers on the lifts, same for restaurants. So even if the Swiss do continue to open the resorts it will be an absolute nightmare, more time in queues than skiing, it will be even worse if France and Austria keep their resorts closed for Xmas and New Year, everyone will descend on Swiss ski resorts, who are not known for having the most efficient lift system anyway. Seriously considering cancelling our New Years trip and heading to the beach.

if France and Austria keep their resorts closed for Xmas and New Year,

Latest state of play is that the lifts on French resorts will remain out of action until after the New Year, at the earliest.

However approval was given a couple of days for them to open up for cross county skiing, snow shoeing etc.

The hospitals are full in the French alps. Savoie and Haute Savoie were among the highest hit areas in France in wave 2. The hospitals in Geneva and Lausanne are also at capacity. There is no room for ski injuries and this is one of the main reasons for shutting the lifts. The resorts are open for winter sports with lower risks of injury. Figures are looking optimistic as we have been in confinement in France for a month but I fully expect this to rise after Christmas and again after/during the February holidays. Personally I think Switzerland (and Austria) opening for Christmas is highly irresponsible and will cause a lot more deaths than necessary- and keep Savoyard rates up as a huge proportion of their frontline workers are crossborder workers.

Who knows what will happen in February but as someone who lives in the region and with lots of friends and neighbours working in hospitals, I would hope it is mainly French residents on the slopes. This year is really not the year for international ski tourism (and that is before taking in the extra hassles for you guys this year with needing to get private health insurance, international driving permits and the additional queuing at passport control and the various unknowns around Brexit)

Just decided we will cancel for January, will keep our eye on the February break and hope for the best.

Sounds wise. We have cancelled for Feb but would rebook flights and accommodation separately if something changes drastically once vaccine rollout etc begins.
I have Easter flights now and much prefer Feb usually over spring snow but anything is better than no skiing...

We've cancelled christmas and new year, Not hopeful for easter....I suspect the closer we get to a vaccine the less likely travel corridors are (why would you not wait a couple of months for a vaccine).

I don’t think anyone who earns a living from the travel industry or anything associated with it sees it that way though. There may be ski operators and even smaller resorts who will make it through with profits from Easter but will go insolvent otherwise

@texarkana

I don’t think anyone who earns a living from the travel industry or anything associated with it sees it that way though. There may be ski operators and even smaller resorts who will make it through with profits from Easter but will go insolvent otherwise

This is a very difficult balance. I desparately want to go abroad, ski, see friends. I also am aware COVID needs to be kept under control.

I can't see any good reason why France would want floods of English and Belgians bringing Covid in to the resorts, nor why the UK would want them bringing it back - it's madness right now with a vaccine round the corner.

Travel will not be back to normal until 2022, "wishing it different" well yes - I'm sure we all wish it were different.

@texarkana Inghams and Ski Total have announced today (4th Dec) they are now cancelling ALL January holidays as well as December (announced a few weeks back).

Yes not surprised, thanks, saw the other thread too. Sadly, I think it was inevitable. I think Feb could well go the same way but I am poised for Easter if things look up (thanks to the vaccine rollout) by then!

Cam

Do be careful

Insurance doesn’t cover everything

Holidays are automatically cancelled for fco advice but not for isolation rules, track and trace, sending home from school etc etc

We paid our deposit £800 - balance was due last week for Feb half term but we didn’t pay it - instead we cancelled and left our deposit as a voucher so we can rebook last minute if we are free to go

There’s no much uncertainty and fco cancellations are only one part

Remember when fco changed their advice to say ok for canaries but isolation rules were still kept in place? So many lost holidays because they left the two week isolation on dispite lifting fco advice - no cover for that and I can’t take kids out a further two weeks

Plus what happens if you have isolation rules on arrival?

I plan to book last minute based on

No track and trace
Choking country with no isolation on arrival
No testing on arrival
Lowest isolation on return

Where are you going for Xmas as Inghams as nowhere in Europe skiing before mid jan except Switzerland I believe

Switzerland is open, unless they feel the heat of pressure from the EU and do end up closing. I am hearing they will only allow Swiss residents on their ski lifts, don't know how true that is, and can't imagine how feasible it will be to check everyones passports and IDs.

If the holiday company are not going to be able to provide the holiday you booked and fulfil their part of the contract, you'd be mad to throw good money after bad and pay the balance.

There may be ski operators and even smaller resorts who will make it through with profits from Easter but will go insolvent otherwise.

Even more reason not to pay, you'll not see that money again. I'm not a charity to keep tour operators and airlines afloat.

@Graciebobcat I wrote that post you have quoted back about whether skiing should or is likely to be open late season this year. Absolutely nothing to do with advising people to pay the balance which I wouldn’t do either! Our tentative plans for March are booked separately and can be moved.

It will be easy enough to only allow nationals on the ski lifts: they just need to print two different types of lift passes or not give any lift passes to non nationals.

There already exists a tool to stop foreigners skiing without complicated administrative amendments to lift passes putting the burden right down onto resorts. It’s quarantine, and the Swiss specifically removed it only a few weeks back. Impose quarantine (and close hotels to tourists as the Austrians have done) and ski tourism is completely stopped, but it makes no sense because the Swiss rate of cases is higher than most other places anyway and the Swiss know this. That said given ongoing EU pressure and the high case rate I believe it’s too risky to plan a trip this month as the situation could change any minute.

Spanish Pyreneen resorts are still hoping to open, so I'm still keeping fingers crossed for a weekend in baqueira or formigal. I miss it!!