At the beginning of the season Ernest Kovač, the head of the Golte ski resort and also president of the Slovenian Ropeways Association, said they depended on year-round operation. That is why they have connected their marketing programs with the programs of other related organizations, among them the Hiking and Cycling Economic Interest Grouping.
“We wish that Slovenia becomes an important skiing destination on the European market. If we join forces we can be compared with Carinthia and Tyrol in Austria and with destinations in other countries. Thanks to the short distances we can offer our guests skiing in different centres every day,” explained Kovač and added that in order to achieve this there will have to be larger investments in the future, which have been lacking for quite some time due to the crisis.
Ski ticket prices mostly unchanged
Marjan Čuk, the president of the Chamber of Mountain Centres, says there will be no major changes regarding the ski ticket prices. Season and family tickets, as well as five and seven day tickets, will once again be on offer at all the bigger ski resorts, to be used in different periods over the entire season.
“We will also continue our cooperation with the Serbian ski resorts Kopaonik and Stara Planina, and with the Spanish ski resort Masella. Owners of our season tickets can also ski there free of charge,” added Čuk. Kovač and Čuk welcomed the good news from the Kanin resort – Slovenia’s highest ski resort - where we will be able to ski again this year.
Marijan Skornišek, the acting director of the newly founded public company in Kanin, said that they now have the operating permit for the cable. Permits for the two chairlifts will also be issued soon. A connection with the Italian side of the resort will also be possible. There is still no snow up there and the management is currently employing the necessary workforce.
The only big investment this year was made at the Cerkno ski centre – a new thermal resort is to be opened on the 16th of December. Director Manuela Božič Badalič said they started making snow today and have also introduced a new system for the sale and use of ski tickets.
Pohorje already started with the new season
Maribor’s Pohorje centre was the first to start the ski season. It opened its new ski season two weeks ago, although operating for only one weekend. At the moment there is no more snow on Pohorje and the management there has also started making snow. Pohorje’s wish is to have favourable weather especially in the beginning of January, when the Golden Fox Alpine World Cup ski competition is scheduled.
According to Srečko Retuznik, everything is ready for the start of the season at Krvavec and Rogla. Snowmaking is underway and the wish is to have at least some of the cables running by the end of the week. The same goes for Kranjska Gora, where the ski polygon at Podkoren has been widened. The marketing chief at the Golte resort, Mitja Škrabl, says some of the ski slopes will be opened at the end of the week there as well. Golte is also satisfied with the sale of season ski tickets so far, which is at the same level as last year.
D. S.; translated by K. J.
