Alps After a winter marred by pandemic restrictions, ski resorts in the Alps are taking advantage of unusual snowfall and pent-up demand to open early for the summer season. In France, the ski lifts of Les 2 Alpes should start filming this weekend, almost a month earlier than usual, with skiing available between 2,800 and 3,500 meters above sea level on the Monts de Lans glacier. The resort says conditions are excellent after 1.5 meters of fresh snow fell in May.
Cervinia in Italy opened on Wednesday last week, and Madesimo, a resort that typically doesn’t offer summer skiing, is opening trails in remote areas Val di Lei domain this weekend. austria Mölltaler Gletscher The region joined last weekend six other resorts in the country already offering skiing.
Meanwhile the opening of the Col du Petit Saint Bernard, the pass between France and Italy above the station of La Rosiere, had to be delayed due to huge snow banks on either side of the road.
Alaska Several cruise lines have announced departures to Alaska this summer thanks to new legislation enacted by President Biden last week. The Alaska Tourism Restoration Act temporarily removes the requirements of the 135-year-old Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA), a protectionist law that prohibits foreign ships from carrying passengers between U.S. ports.
Lindblad Expeditions cruise passengers explore the Alaskan coast
Since the majority of U.S. cruise line ships are registered outside the country, they typically only comply with the PVSA when stopping en route to Alaska in British Columbia. Canada’s current ban on cruise ships removed that option, leaving a legal hurdle that threatened to wipe out the Alaska cruise industry this year.
Lisa Murkowski, one of the senators from Alaska who introduced the new bill, said it was designed “to help save what’s left of the 2021 tourist season.” . there is now a light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity cruises, Princess Cruises and Carnival all plan to make round-trip crossings from Seattle to Alaska, starting in July and for vaccinated passengers only.
Demand is expected to be strong. Lindblad Expeditions, which operates small U.S.-flagged vessels, is restarting its Alaskan cruises next weekend and says it had to bring in two more ships to meet bookings.
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