European ski resorts reporting best snowfall in ten years

Ski resorts throughout Europe opened this past weekend, ahead of their normally-scheduled season opening, as a result of the heaviest November snowfalls in at least ten years.

Exceptional conditions have resulted from as much as 60cm of snow that has fallen on Alpine slopes, and even larger amounts in the Pyrenees. The early opening is given a much-needed boost to an industry that has claimed global warning could undermine its multi-billion pound business.

“This is nature’s way of cocking a snook at the experts,” commented the director of Ski France International, Christian Rochette. Ski France International is the tourist body for French winter sports resorts. The industry had predicted a good reason, in spite of the dismal forecast by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

“We’ve got excellent conditions for this time of year and very cold temperatures, which means we can use the snow cannons to make artificial snow as well,” Rochette said.

In France, reservations have increased by 20 per cent over last year, and Rochette noted that there were no indications that Britons would stay away due to the exchange rate or the economic outlook. “They don’t seem to be prepared to sacrifice their winter holidays,” he added. “They want to get away from all this talk of a crisis.”

Operators of French resorts agreed with his optimism, although there is a general expectation that there will be a drop in British tourist revenue. “Even if they still come, we expect that they’ll spend a little less,” one official said.

Thanks to www.timesonline.co.uk for the above quotes, for more information on this article please visit their website.

www.skifrance-international.com