Free time activities - Winter sports season full of contrasts
The winter season in the Thuringian Forest had its share of extremes, with more snowfalls in April than in February, along with plunging temperatures and the bankruptcy of two ski resort operators. The region's tourism body revealed that only 66 days were suitable for skiing at the alpine slopes, a far cry from the average of 91 days over the last 14 years. Five out of the 19 lift providers opened for more than 10 days.
The experience was similar for cross-country skiers, who enjoyed a paltry 27 skiing days, making this season as dismal as the previous year (57 days) and far less favorable than the average of 84 cross-country skiing days over the last 14 years. At the most, 42% of all cross-country ski trails were groomed, equivalent to 649 out of the total 1422 kilometers. A normal season would have had several weeks with over 1000 kilometers.
The small lodgings in areas heavily reliant on winter tourism bore the brunt of the tumultuous season, with numerous cancellations and zero bookings. These businesses suffered greatly, especially in Steinach, Schmiedefeld am Rennsteig, and Stützerbach where the number of overnight stays decreased drastically, almost halving from the previous year.
Not all businesses were affected negatively. Indoor leisure spots such as swimming pools and ice rinks observed surprising visitor numbers, reaping the benefits of the challenging winter weather.
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Source: www.stern.de
