French owners of ski resorts have spoken out about their ‘economic catastrophe’ following Emmanuel Macron’s decision to prohibit British tourists entering France.
Macron claimed that the new move, which will take effect on Saturday, would slow down the spread Omicron. However, with Omicron already widely distributed and accounting for a greater proportion of French Omicron cases than British Omicrons, it seems more political than a pandemic.
The resort owners are furious, particularly on Val d’Isere’s Alpine slopes. British tourists account for the largest portion of their customer base. Now they face a fight to survive after last year’s cancellation.
Christophe Lavaut is director at Val d’Isere. He said that it was an economic catastrophe. It’s impossible for any business to make it in this sector, as they lost 42 percent of their clients within two days.
French ski resort owners reacted violently to Emmanuel Macron’s decision to ban British tourists from France. This has left them in a state of ‘economic crisis’.
The resort owners claim that they relied on Britons to compensate for the loss of revenue they received because they paid more. However, they now have winter without them.
Jean-Marc Silva of France Montagne, which represents all the mountain resorts in the country, stated that Britons are the largest foreign visitor group during the typical season. The last was in 2019.
55million skiers visited France in 2018/19, which was the largest number of visitors to France. Around 9 percent of them were British.
Apart from the large number of Brits visiting, Silva stated that resort owners love UK customers because they spend more.
Silva stated that Brits love mountains but don’t have many. So they made France their mountain home.
Silva explained that it isn’t the same clientele of the French. The French visitor came to ski. He will not only ski, but will be first to the après-ski activities.
They have this pub culture. They tend to spend more than the rest. They make the most out of their time there.
France has one of the world’s largest winter economies, with revenues from ski resorts approaching £1.3billion annually – with winter sports contributing another £2billion in related exports.
Around 80 percent travel to France to ski, and around 10% go there to work.
Resort owners had expected a strong year in 2021, despite the fact that last winter saw the country locked down and its ski slopes closed.
Maxine Lane–Badenhop 56; husband Henning (pictured) and their daughters 14 and 15 had wanted to visit France but were unable to do so due to a delay in the 2019/20 trip. The delays will now be repeated
Ski resorts make around £1.3billion each year for the French economy, with Britons making up around 9 per cent of the 55million who visit each season (Val Thorens in 2019)
However, they are now facing the challenge of being able to do so without their most valuable customers. This comes at a time other European nations are going into partial or full lockdowns that is likely to harm travel from abroad.
The new rules prohibit holiday travel to France from Britain – except if you or your partner are French.
Mark Tanzer (CEO of British travel association ABTA) has said that the move was a ‘hammer blow’ to winter tourism industry.
British tourists account for 25% of L’Alpe d’Huez’s clientele in French Alps such as Val d’Isere.
Francois Badjily was the head of the Tourism Office and stated that he hoped losses will be limited over Christmas as the majority of French clients visit France.
He stated that January is a time when French tourists don’t travel as often on holidays and it would be an instant hit.
“These clients spend more, on average, than other customers, and go to restaurants more often, so losing 25% of these visitors would be more costly than losing 25% of our business.
British families that were supposed to travel, but are currently grounded from their trips, expressed fury.
Maxine Lane-Badenhop, 56 and from Surrey, had been poised to go skiing in France with her husband Henning and their two daughters, 14 and 15.
The family spent £3,800 on the trip – which is not lost but also cannot be recouped, only spent on another trip to France in the form of vouchers.
Mrs Lane-Badenhop was able to get the necessary passes for her girls and even their health certificates for their dog.
France experienced a complete wipeout of its ski season in last year’s winter. It went into lockdown. (Photo: Val d’Isere).
Their Eurotunnel journey was disrupted by the volte face of President Macron.
MailOnline received a statement from Mrs Lane-Badenhop stating that the trip was one she had delayed since last Christmas due to similar reasons.
We were ready to go. This morning, it was very frustrating to find out about the ban.
“My husband was working abroad, so he was flying back tonight. He had purchased all necessary tests and we paid everything.
“We are all devastated. We were looking forward to this as a family. Now we don’t even know what to do for Christmas.
“If France is closing its borders to us now, will they do so to other European countries?
“I am cynical. I don’t understand, but this is a French or British thing about Brexit?”
“It just seems insane with Omicron everywhere. It’s terrible that resorts will lose their money, too.
Macron’s decision comes even though the European Centre for Disease Control, the EU’s most important disease agency, stated that Omicron travel restrictions will only apply until domestic spread takes off. After which they should be removed.
The policy appears to work in spite of the fact that other EU members have only limited restrictions for travel to south African countries.
It does so against the background of cross-Channel tensions about post-Brexit fisheries licences and migration.
Macron says the ban is meant to end Omicron’s spread, but critics say it is more about cross-Channel political issues than pandemic.
Today, there are queues to board trains at Eurostar Kings Cross St Pancras station
The election also occurs right before French presidential elections in April. Macron faces a challenger by right-wing nationalist parties.
Paul Charles, the chief executive officer of The PC Agency travel agency, stated that “Blanket Country Measures are a harmful backwards step. They never work.” Omicron has already been in France and other EU nations.
“Why should those millions who have been boosted to become vaccinated be treated in the same manner as the unvaccinated? They shouldn’t be denied entry?”
Conservative MP for Dover Natalie Elphicke told MailOnline the French action was causing ‘unnecessary’ misery for travellers.
‘We have seen again France acting in a different way to other European countries. That is going to cause unnecessary disruption this Christmas time,’ she said.
‘We saw France do this last Christmas. It is obviously welcome they seem to be allowing haulage to travel… but clearly this is going to be difficult for passengers trying to return to their homes for Christmas or go abroad at this time of year.’
Brittany Ferries spokeswoman said, “These new measures will hurt our Christmas season.”
France has more cases of this virus in the UK than France, and it is rapidly spreading to other countries.
According to genetic sequencing data collected December 13, this chart displays the Omicron percentage (red). France sequences far less cases than the UK but has a greater proportion of super-mutants than in the UK.