The accounts of mountain professionals, very affected by the closure of the ski lifts last winter, will be able to warm up a bit.

The government will devote 650 million euros of public funds to mountain territories.

Of this sum, 331 million will be allocated to a fund that will finance projects to diversify the tourist economy.

Prime Minister Jean Castex will present this Thursday during a trip to Savoy the “Avenir Montagnes” plan, in support of territories which have received 5 billion euros in emergency aid (Solidarity Fund, specific aid for ski lifts mechanics, ski instructors, etc.) since the start of the health crisis.

Diversify the tourist offer

The objective is to invest to "transform" these territories, with three priority objectives: to support the diversification of the tourist offer in order to attract young and foreign clienteles, to accelerate the ecological transition and to boost real estate, specified Matignon. .

It has about fifteen measures.

In detail, the “Avenir Montagnes” fund will receive 181 million euros in State credits and 150 million from the six regions concerned, to “massively support the investments that mountain players will undertake”.

These new credits will finance, for example, to the tune of 20 million euros, the restoration of 1,000 km of mountain trails and the enhancement of biodiversity.

And 31 million euros, financed by the State and its operators, will make it possible to support projects in engineering in 60 “pilot territories”, in order to develop, for example, “sustainable mobility solutions” (up to 10 million euros). 'euros) like the valleys elevators.

Measures for "cold beds"

To "boost leisure real estate" in order to absorb part of the "cold beds", accommodation which is only used a few weeks a year, the Banque des Territoires will invest 125 million euros over five years in real estate, alongside other investors, in order to buy back around 5,000 per year. These accommodations managed by operators of tourist residences (Odalys, Pierre et vacances, etc.), once the tax exemption period enjoyed by their owner-investor has ended, are often sold to individuals who occupy them little. The real estate companies will have to invest to renovate them, before renting them out throughout the year to holidaymakers. Finally, 8 million euros over four years will finance campaigns to promote the French mountains, entrusted to Atout France.

In total, this plan should generate, hopes the State, 1.8 billion euros of investments, by "leverage effect" with private actors and communities, for mountain tourism.

This represents 20 billion euros in economic benefits per year, including 10.5 billion for the resorts, while 120,000 jobs depend on the opening of ski areas.

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  • Coronavirus

  • Ski station

  • Ski

  • Jean Castex

  • Mountain

  • Economy