New funds arrive for the white circus. For the 2024/25 season the Lombardy region has allocated further 3 million of euros in support of ski resorts which are equipped with production facilities artificial snow. The funds have been allocated for the two-year period for both public and private bodies, even if for skiers, at the moment, there are no interventions to protect the price increases that ski passes have been experiencing for several years, penalizing thousands of enthusiasts struggling with problems of budget.
According to what is supported by consumer associations, including Lombardy Codes – the Center for Citizen’s Rights – the costs for a white holiday are now prohibitive. Compared to two years ago, the increase in subscriptions was in some cases even higher than 100 euros. And indeed, according to what he states Davide Zanon, regional secretary of Codici, «now going skiing has become a luxury for a few. The cost for one seasonal ski pass this year it surpassed the 900 euros, an exorbitant amount for an individual, let alone for a family. Then comparing it with the 2022 data, prices increased by over 100 euros.”
Consumer protection organizations ask that the Lombardy Region intervene in favor of skiers, for example by tying at least the cost freeze of ski passes to those facilities they will use these funds.
