Far fewer children than normal will be taking part in school ski camps this year – a lasting tradition in Switzerland – due to the coronavirus pandemic, reports say.
NZZ am Sonntag/swissinfo.ch, Isobel Leybold-Johnson
Ski camps have already been contending with falling popularity over recent years.
There is also currently an international debate on the merits of opening Swiss ski resorts over the holiday period as European countries struggle to contain coronavirus infection numbers.
Older pupils usually spend a week in the snow during term time. It’s a way for them to get to know snow sports (they are now often referred to as “snow sports” camps as there are opportunities to try snowboarding, cross-country skiing or even ski jumping) as well as enjoy some independence and develop their social skills.
Drop in numbers
But the latest figures published in the NZZ am SonntagExternal link newspaper show an expected drop in camp and attendance numbers this year. Usually 100,000 pupils go, attending 2,300 camps during the winter season. This season. just 111 camps have been registered with the Youth and SportsExternal link promotion programme run by the Federal Office of SportsExternal link.
It’s a similar story at Snow Sports Initiative SwitzerlandExternal link, which promotes snow sports in schools. “More than half of the 250 camps that had been originally booked with us have been cancelled,” said director Ole Rauch.
Cantons are in charge of education matters in Switzerland. So far, 11 of them have banned ski camps altogether due to the coronavirus pandemic and fears that the virus could be easily transmitted among large groups of young people, despite distancing and hygiene measures. A further four cantons “recommend” against organising camps, and two have permitted them, but there has been no take-up, the newspaper reported.
Small groups only
In canton Zurich, obligatory school ski camps are not allowed, but voluntary ones are, said Ralph König from the cantonal sport department. Only those that keep to strict protection measures will take place. “There won’t be any huge ski camps,” he told the newspaper.
“The children should stay in the same group for the whole camp: on the pistes, at mealtimes and in their spare time,” he said. Around half of the normal 1,000 camp places remain unfilled, he added.
Challenges, debate
Ski camps have already been suffering due to the cost, competition from other sports and holiday destinations and safety concerns on the part of parents and teachers.
A court ruling in late 2017 also raised fears of the tradition dying out. It said that schools may only ask parents for up to CHF16 ($16) a day during obligatory excursions and camps, the amount parents would spend on feeding their children at home. Before that parents were paying CHF150-CHF300, and sometimes more, for a snow sports trip.
However, as we have previously reported, schools have been managing to find workarounds and more students were starting to take part again.
There is also a debate about the ski season in general. Last week, the Swiss government announced that ski resorts could open, provided they comply with strict protection measures. France, Italy, Austria and Germany have said that high-altitude lifts should remain closed for now, in the hopes that all resorts can then benefit at peak season, when and if infection rates go down.
More
More
Swiss schools stand by their ski camps
This content was published on
Despite some recent pushback, Swiss schools appear set to continue the tradition of ski camps for as long as there is enough snow.
Swiss authorities announce cost-cutting in asylum sector
This content was published on
The government notably wants to improve integration into the labour force, particularly for people with protection status S.
Various leaders confirm participation at Ukraine peace conference
This content was published on
The presidents of Poland, Finland, and Latvia and the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium will be at the Swiss-hosted talks in mid-June.
This content was published on
In the winter season up to April 2024, railway and cable car operators ferried 3% more visitors compared to the previous winter, and 5% more than the five-year average.
Rhine flooding: Swiss to invest CHF1 billion with Austria
This content was published on
As part of an international agreement with Austria, the Swiss government wants to pump CHF1 billion ($1.1 billion) into flood protection measures along the Rhine over the next three decades.
Swiss government proposes CHF10 million UNRWA donation
This content was published on
After months of debate, Switzerland plans to give CHF10 million ($11 million) to the UN agency this year, rather than the CHF20 million initially foreseen.
Swiss study: insects mainly migrate at midday and dusk
This content was published on
A study led by the Swiss Ornithological Institute in canton Lucerne is helping to better understand the movement patterns of migratory insects.
Red Cross: 22 staff killed in Middle East since October
This content was published on
The Red Cross and Red Crescent network in Gaza and Israel has lost 22 staff members since last October, the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) said on Wednesday.
Dortmund’s Kobel is first Swiss goalie in Champions League final
This content was published on
Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel has achieved history by becoming the first Swiss goalkeeper to reach a Champion’s League final.
University students in Switzerland join Gaza protest wave
This content was published on
Pro-Palestinian activists occupied university buildings in Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich on Tuesday, widening the protest movement in the Alpine nation.
This content was published on
The German chancellor wants to prevent Covid-19 spreading but faces opposition from Austria. In Switzerland, many large ski areas are already opening.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.