The early winter weather has ignited hope for a good ski season in the southern part of Sweden as well. Many facilities open in record time and hope for an invasion of visitors, not least from Denmark.
– The Danes are increasing a lot for us, says Fredrik Porat, CEO of the Ski Bike Hike facility in Ulricehamn.
The unusual cold snap with a longer period of sub-zero temperatures since the end of November has become an early Christmas present for ski enthusiasts and tourism operators in southern Sweden. According to the site skidspår.se, it is currently possible to find at least one skiable cross-country ski track in all counties in the country.
Many facilities with snow cannons have also managed to produce a record amount of snow, which is unusual for this early in the season. In addition, the electricity price is more bearable than last year.
In Ulricehamn, the cross-country tracks are at full speed.
– These are fantastic tracks, says Inger Knutsson, who took her first ride of the season when TV4 Nyheterna visited the facility.
– It is in record time.
This weekend, the resort’s facility also opens for downhill skiing, a week earlier than planned.
– If we can open, we will, says CEO Fredrik Porat. We want people to ski and the young people to get started and train, so it’s great fun.
Fredrik Porat is not worried about a possible change to milder weather.
– We managed 45 days of rain in a row last year, so we will do that now. And now we have more snow, he says.
Even in Ornahögsbacken in Österlen, you could go downhill this weekend, for the first time since 2018. The same thing in Vångabacken outside Kristianstad, which was also open in the evening during the week.
Hope for the Danes
In Isaberg in Småland, the plan is to open the entire facility next weekend, in that case in record time. Mullsjö Alpin, for example, has the same plan, which, like the others, expects a high proportion of Danish visitors this winter.
– They are very important, says Camilla Ferm, who runs a hotel in Ulricehamn. You think that Denmark is a long way away, but it is quite close. At least to the Copenhagen area.
Fredrik Porat, CEO of the ski resort in Ulricehamn, sees several reasons for the increased Danish interest.
– Partly because we started to market ourselves more towards Denmark. And the currency of course. They are nice to have here.