The St. Moritz Village Association is opening the new series “St. Moritz Village Talk” with a hot topic: On June 20, well-known business experts will discuss the current situation of the global health resort of St. Moritz and its prospects for the future with local decision makers and the audience. The leading figures from politics, tourism, industry, hotels and gastronomy are testing tourism and business experts. The event in Restaurant Posthaus is public and admission is free. The door opens at 19:45 h; the conversation starts at 20:15 h
Last winter was a real disillusionment for many St. Moritz tradesmen, restorers and hoteliers: Even optimists could not ignore the reports about the weak winter half of the year, and the statistics speak for themselves at the end of winter: No canton is currently suffering as much as Grisons; the guests from the euro area, which are important for Engadin, have not arrived. The adoption of the second home initiative then completed the misery of sentiment.
Is it all just whining or serious alarm signs?
Against the backdrop of the weak euro, the European debt crisis and reports of poor service and too high prices in Switzerland, many are wondering how Engadin tourism should continue. Is the situation really so dramatic or are we doing worse than we are? What are the latest forecasts and how can St. Moritz prepare for them? In the first “St. Moritz Village Talk”, renowned tourism and business experts will discuss with decision makers from the region and the audience.
Jürg Schmid, Director of Swiss Tourism, and Professor Aymo Brunetti, economics professor at the University of Bern and former federal chief economist, are available to answer questions. Led by Christian Gartmann, they present their views and scenarios for Europe, Switzerland and St. Moritz. A high-level group of local decision makers will interview them and discuss perspectives with them: Mayor Sigi Asprion, Ariane Ehrat (destination Engadin St. Moritz), Luis A. Wieser (Engadin St. Moritz Mountains), representatives from the hotel, catering and commercial sectors as well as various entrepreneurs have signed up. The door opens at 7:45 p.m., the conversation starts at 8:15 p.m.
A new form of public discussion
With the “St. Moritz Village Talk”, the St. Moritz village association is choosing a new framework: external experts meet local entrepreneurs. Both are critically scrutinized, and the conversation leader is always looking for solutions. The audience is also involved in the discussion: A mobile microphone is always ready and ensures that it is not just the experts who talk. The new format takes us away from the traditional panel discussion and promises an exciting discourse: critical in substance, but fair and respectful in tone, informative but also entertaining.
Reactivated village association
The St. Moritz village association was originally founded in 1989 by critics of the newly created pedestrian zone. For years, he campaigned for an attractive village center and held many events. In 2011, the association, which has since been inactive, was restarted with the same goal. In its first new year of existence, the association has already launched a whole series of successful initiatives and events. The members of the village association are mainly commercial, catering and hotel companies in St. Moritz Dorf.
The St. Moritz village association had already held similar rounds of talks in the nineties. In a complicated political situation surrounding the new pedestrian zone, a path was sought between confrontation and concrete solutions. The series “at the round table” was a great success.
infos
Thomas Kriemler, board member of the St. Moritz village association
079 686 38 63
Christian Gartmann, concept and direction of “St. Moritzer Dorfgespräch”
079 355 78 78
Background under www.medienseminar.com/village club