Do Hungarian ski resorts have a chance for survival?
This winter has brought hardly any snow to Hungary, and this mild weather is also affecting the ski resorts. Due to the higher temperatures, it is difficult for ski resorts to maintain their slopes. For this reason, several of them have been forced to close temporarily. This, of course, has left skiers concerned about the future of the resorts in Hungary.
In order to find out more about the current situation of ski tourism, pénzcentrum.hu contacted Gyula Fehér, chairman of the István Chernel Ski and Tourism Cluster.
How can the remaining ski resorts maintain themselves?
According to Fehér, in recent years, the ski season in Hungary, as well as in the Alpine countries, has been extended. He points out that two years ago, for example, it was still possible to ski until Easter.
In this regard, he particularly stresses the importance of snowmaking and four-season availability. Without these, it is impossible for ski resorts to operate economically on a long-term basis. On the one hand, artificial snow melts more slowly, and the snowmaking equipment can achieve high snow thickness. On the other hand, what four-season availability means is being able to attract tourists with a variety of attractions in both winter and summer.
Chair lifts are great because they allow a four-season use, and they are also environmentally friendly,
he argues.
Is there any reason for concern?
As for the recent particularly mild weather, the expert says this is not the first winter like this. Anyone who runs a ski resort is well aware of the variability of the weather. He also points out that while there are few ski resorts in the country, there are plenty of skiers. This means that when the ski lifts are operating, the resorts are so busy that sometimes it can lead to long lines for the ski lifts. Therefore, when the ski resorts are up and running,
they can operate at quite a high profit, so they can exploit the holes that they have at the moment for instance. Of course, it hurts a lot that there is no snow, but those who run the resorts include this in their calculations.
Although many people were worried about the skiing season already in the fall,
the fear was greater than the actual problem.
In general, Fehér does not see the situation of ski tourism as alarming. Despite the rising energy prices and other factors, there has been significant growth in ski tourism this season globally. As for Hungary, more and more people are skiing here as well. The expert believes that although most people want to go to the Alps or the Tatras, Hungarian ski resorts still remain a popular destination.
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Source: penzcentrum.hu