| Ski enthusiasts
and ski companies are celebrating the opening of many resorts across
Austria this weekend (3/4th December) – and are expecting a
busy start to the season due to record snow falls. With many ski areas
having already opened earlier than usual for weekend skiing in November
because of the early snow, Austrian resorts are bracing themselves
for an influx of visitors taking advantage of the early skiing.
With a band
of cold weather sweeping across Europe during the past couple of
weeks, snow has continued falling steadily over Austria since mid
November. The east has experienced the best early snow for 15 years,
whilst the resort of Carinthia saw over 1 metre of snow fall overnight
- the most ever recorded in November. Conditions are staying cold
with temperatures forecast to dip to -6 over the next few days,
with the early snow providing an excellent base for the season.
In the Zillertal,
the Hintertux Glacier reports an impressive 120cm at the top, with
25cm in the valley – an unusually heavy fall so early in the
season, whilst Hochfügen has 65cm at the top and 45cm in the
valley. Many of the Zillertal ski areas are already open at the
weekends and will be opening full-time from the 3rd December due
to the favourable snow conditions. Nina Hadinski, co-owner of Redpoint
Holidays (www.redpoint.co.uk) who specialise in running skiing packages
in the Ziller Valley, is confident that the record snowfalls will
be good for business. “In the 10 years that we have been operating
in the area, I have never known such consistently heavy snowfall
so early in the season. The pistes down to the valley are fully
prepared and ready to open and we are bracing ourselves for a hectic
few weeks now that the snow has arrived.”
The weather
conditions have prompted large numbers of people to take advantage
of the situation and last minute bookings have surged. “It
is excellent news for skiers and means we will have a good base
for the rest of the season,” adds Nina. Snow is forecast to
continue across Austria into the weekend and beyond.
Snow reports
and web cams for the Zillertal Ski Areas in Austria can be found
on www.redpoint.co.uk. For further information on skiing in the
Zillertal, contact info@redpoint.co.uk.
-ENDS-
Note to editors:
additional photographs of the Ziller Valley available on request.
-More-
Background:
2
for 1 offer:
running from the 9th – 16th December. Two people stay in the
four-star Hotel Kohlerhof for 7 nights and only 1 person pays!
Pre-Christmas
offer:
running from the 16th – 23rd December. The week costs £557
and includes 7 nights staying at the 4-star Hotel Bruno in Fügen
in Zillertal, flights and airport transfers, Visits to the Christmas
Markets in Fügen and Innsbruck, Christmas shopping trips to
Swarowski Crystal Worlds, Rattenberg “The prettiest town in
the Tyrol” and a torch lit walk to an Austrian carol concert.
Also included is the chance to find out how the Fügen villagers
are responsible for making the Christmas Carol “Silent Night”
famous around the world. All trips take place after skiing, so that
you can take advantage of the record snow conditions and ski during
the day. It is also possible to come for the pre-Christmas weekend
or for a shorter stay if you can’t make it for the full week.
Contacts:
Sue Turner:
Redpoint Holidays 01902 568 034
Alastair Campbell: PR contact 01858 44 55 43 / 07906 349 109
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