Good booking situation - but uncertainties about the pandemic are overshadowing the start of winter 2021/2022

Tourism in Südbünden in winter 2021/2022 will largely depend on whether guests have access to the full range of tourist attractions and how complicated travel across national borders will be. As in the previous winter, the ability to plan holidays and leisure time and the guests' sense of security are also decisive factors. Disturbing uncertainties arise not only from the development of the pandemic itself, but also from sluggish decision-making and unclear intentions on the part of national policy makers.

Press release from the “Corona II Engadin” task force

For the second time, the “Corona II Engadin” task force has identified the factors that will significantly influence tourism in the Alpine region in the coming winter. The biggest risk for an economically good winter season is restrictions on tourism offerings due to government regulations or staff shortages as a result of infections and quarantine measures.

Travel barriers taken by Switzerland and other countries in the fight against the pandemic represent an inhibition for guests who want to travel to South Bünden and for Swiss accommodation providers, who must implement appropriate regulations. The uncertainty about the development of the measures and a possible loss of confidence in these measures are further factors that can have a negative impact on the development of tourism.

The current development of the pandemic and the burden on the healthcare system are contributing to the uncertainty, as is the decision making on measures across Switzerland or cantonal, which is sometimes difficult for outsiders to understand.

Political decisions promote uncertainty

As the duration of the pandemic increases, the political discussion about measures against the pandemic has gained weight and is hampering rapid decisions and the implementation of effective measures. Swiss tourism in particular would depend on rapid, clear and nationally uniform regulations.

Different measures in different parts of the country lead to unnecessary uncertainty and a loss of trust among the population, as well as to competitive disadvantages for Switzerland compared to other countries.

In the meantime, the pandemic itself is progressing: The highly contagious “Omicron” variant is putting the authorities, the tourism industry and the healthcare sector in particular to a new test. Against this background, the task force has once again published a catalogue with possible pandemic scenarios.

As practical assistance, these scenarios are intended to help providers of tourism, trade and industry as well as municipalities in the region prepare for possible developments in the pandemic.

The Corona II Engadin Task Force

The most important sectors of Upper Engadin tourism, healthcare and the destination organization Engadin St. Moritz founded the “Corona II Engadin” task force in summer 2020. It has set itself the goal of supporting businesses in the Maloja region during the pandemic. Since November 2020, at the invitation of the task force, all municipalities in Südbünden have also been meeting for a weekly exchange of information about the pandemic and discussing their measures to do so. The task force also coordinates its work with cantonal authorities and supports them with larger projects.

The task force is financially supported by the destination organization and the municipalities of the Maloja region. It is managed by Jan Steiner from the destination organization and Christian Gartmann, who created it.

Download

The handbook “Scenarios for the Covid-19 Pandemic in Winter 2021/2022” can be downloaded from the destination organization's website:
https://www.estm.ch/partner-leistungstraeger/ansehen-oder-downloaden-von-publikationen-der-estm-ag-partner

Contact Corona II Engadin Task Force

Christian Gartmann, Project Manager Taskforce/Municipalities Coordination
christian@gartmann.biz | +41 79 355 78 78