Newsroom

Personalities who have shaped the “Engadin” talk: In three fireside chats, long-standing participants talk about their experiences from 50 years of Engadin ski marathon. Christian Gartmann's guests in the first “marathon whisper” include Dumeng Giovanoli, Nino Ganzoni and Corsin Willy; on Wednesday, January 24 at 20:00 at the Hotel Schweizerhaus in Maloja.

The rock slide on Pizzo Cengalo and the immediately following debris flow to Bondo on August 23 were a very rare chain of natural events worldwide. Ice and water pressure caused the rock of Pizzo Cengalo to fall. A group of experts has analysed the event and drawn initial conclusions from it. The risk of further landslides and debris flows will persist in the coming years.

28 Swiss photographers auctioned off their own works in Zurich on Friday, raising 40,000 francs for reconstruction projects in the Bondo area. City President Corine Mauch and Mayor Anna Giacometti underlined the close ties between Zurich and Bergell.

No one took turns like him: With his unique style and his uncompromising willingness to take risks, Bode Miller became world champion and Olympic champion. In conversation with Skiservice Magazin, he looks back on his successes and thinks about the future of skiing.

The “Skiservice Magazine” 2018 has been published. In its tenth issue, the magazine portrays Olympic champion Bode Miller, fashion pioneer Kaspar Frauenschuh and Kjus CEO Nico Serena. As always, the ski service magazine created in the region offers large photo galleries from the Upper Engadin and tips for guests and locals.

The Malojapass cantonal road in the Bondo area has been open to normal traffic again since Friday afternoon. Only three months after the rock slide and the nine debris flows in August, the detour through the districts of Spino and Promontogno was lifted. Traffic is now flowing through the Promontogno tunnel again.

The work following the debris flows at Bondo is progressing very well. The protective measures for the village have been improved. As early as November 24, the Malojapass-Kantonsstraße can be opened to traffic again.

Eleven weeks after the rock slide on Piz Cengalo, life in the Bergell village of Bondo is returning to normal. It is the time for background reports, as this example by Angelika Hardegger and Samuel Burgerer in the NZZ shows.

The Neue Zürcher Zeitung reports on the round table “Natural Hazards in the Holiday Region” with affected tourism professionals and politicians.

On August 23, three million cubic meters of rock fell from Pizzo Cengalo into Val Bondasca, a side valley near the Bergell village of Bondo. Large debris flows were released immediately afterwards. Huge amounts of water, sand and stones rolled down to the bottom of Bondo and destroyed bridges, roads, water pipes and houses. Eight mountaineers have been missing since the rock slide and 140 people had to be evacuated.

The discussion evening on a very topical topic: The landslides and debris flows at Bondo showed how a holiday region in the mountains can suddenly be affected by natural events. The Upper Engadine is also not immune from natural hazards.

Communications professionals pay attention to the active media work surrounding the landslide and debris flows at Bondo. The specialist blog “Influence” asked Christian Gartmann about his experiences.

Bondo is getting a new, safe access road and a new supply line for drinking water. The risk of further landslides and debris flows has declined somewhat and thanks to an additional safety system, the cantonal road is now accessible again even at night. The municipality and its partner organizations are doing everything they can to stop the evacuation of Bondo, Spino and Sottoponte as soon as possible.

Health programs offer the Alpine region opportunities to diversify its tourism. There is great potential in rehabilitation following procedures and illnesses, but also in preventive programs — not least for guests from Germany. More than 150 experts from the hotel, tourism, healthcare and politics attended the 3rd interregional conference “Health & Tourism” in Pontresina on Thursday.

Klinik Gut is expanding in the area of hand surgery. Starting in September, the very well-known hand surgeon Dr. med. Marco Canova in Graubünden will carry out consultations and procedures for patients at Klinik Gut. In Engadin, Dr. Canova replaces Dr. med. Katrin Hagen, who is retiring.

The rains predicted for Thursday night and Friday increase the risk of renewed debris flows from Val Bondasca to Bondo. The municipality of Bregaglia warns against staying in vulnerable areas. The evacuation work in the flooded collection basin is in full swing under strict safety measures.

Klinik Gut and Clinic Bad Ragaz are launching new counseling and aftercare services for their patients in Bad Ragaz. Both partners work at a very high level of quality, which suggests cooperation for the benefit of patients.

The Alpine region can play an important role in the healthcare system of the future. Rehabilitation after illnesses and accidents should take place where patients feel comfortable. Decentralized rehabilitation could provide significant cost benefits, says Prof. Dr. med. Gregor Zünd, Director of the University Hospital Zurich, in an interview with “Health & Tourism.”

Laura Philipp and Franz Löschke are the winners of the fourth St. Moritz triathlon. In torrential rain, the two Germans won the sprint distance race. The duathlon was won by Thomas Huwiler from Geneva and triathlete Nicola Spirig, who competed in their first competition after the maternity break.

The St. Moritz Triathlon is rapidly growing in popularity: More than 300 participants will take part in the Kids Triathlon on Saturday and the Triathlon and Duathlon on Sunday. Numerous world-class athletes are also taking part again. Swiss Nicola Spirig is starting a competition for the first time after her second maternity break.

Planning for the new Gut Clinic in St. Moritz can begin. The Grisons Administrative Court rejected an application from opponents of the project, which wanted to postpone the implementation of the partial revision of the local planning. The new clinic is to be supplemented by a health hotel and create St. Moritz a place in growing international health tourism.

Jürg Schmid, Director of Switzerland Tourism and newly elected President of Grisons Holidays, sees great potential for health tourism in Switzerland, as the Alpine region offers a unique combination of nature, peace and medical expertise. Schmid will be a speaker at the 3rd “Health & Tourism” conference on September 21 in Pontresina.

“Hello dear Unterländer”, the private viral campaign for Grisons, congratulates Jürg Schmid on his election as President of Grisons Vacations with a new film. “Der Jürg üabt” is the name of the clip in which a new colleague from Gian and Giachen takes lessons in the Bündner dialect. The private initiative “Hello dear Unterländer” was launched two years ago and has generated more than 5.5 million advertising contacts for Grisons with 40 films so far.

The Graubünden government is behind the Serletta Süd project for the construction of a health hotel and a new Gut clinic in St. Moritz. It has approved the partial revision of the local planning. In the explanatory statement, she repeatedly underlines the great importance of the project for health tourism in Grisons and for the destination of St. Moritz.