Do you know where the 200 missing British tourists are now?

trisher

I was just thinking that if they haven't been found yet maybe we could ask the Chalet School girls to help (oh no that was Austria wasn't it?). Loved those books.
I suspect the new variant is far more widespread than we are being told, after all there are countries which have had the virus longer than we have (or is it assumed that this is a particularly British-loving variant?) Just because it hasn't been identified doesn't mean it isn't there.

Exactly.....I expect it will be just about everywhere.
Am guessing that the missing 200 are home now, feet up and eating Toblerones.

trisher

I was just thinking that if they haven't been found yet maybe we could ask the Chalet School girls to help (oh no that was Austria wasn't it?). Loved those books.
I suspect the new variant is far more widespread than we are being told, after all there are countries which have had the virus longer than we have (or is it assumed that this is a particularly British-loving variant?) Just because it hasn't been identified doesn't mean it isn't there.

Loved those books and so does my granddaughter but can’t find all the series for her, due to being out of print.

How many cars would there have been to transport 200 ? The lines that coming into my mind is ‘ They seek him here, they seek him there’ .... then I visualize a line of ...coaches heading west to the pacific ...

But, to be fair GagaJo, had the Swiss taken the same action as other European countries and closed their ski resorts, their wouldn't have been any "wealthy, privileged bunches" there in the first place would there? So my question earlier today remains unanswered: Why did they elect to keep them open, knowing full well that it would attract both domestic and overseas visitors?

Chewbacca

But, to be fair GagaJo, had the Swiss taken the same action as other European countries and closed their ski resorts, their wouldn't have been any "wealthy, privileged bunches" there in the first place would there? So my question earlier today remains unanswered: Why did they elect to keep them open, knowing full well that it would attract both domestic and overseas visitors?

There would be nothing wrong with keeping the Swiss resorts open for domestic visitors. I assume if you live locally to a ski resort that's what you do.
It would be a bit like closing our beach down here to all the surfers and body boarders who were enjoying the waves today.

Where are they?

I was going to say that this mysterious case has more holes than Gruyère cheese but Swiss Gruyère doesn't have holes does it?

mokryna Do you know there is a "Friends of the Chalet School"group and they are republishing some books? Not cheap (£13) but you might find something you want www.ggbp.co.uk

There would be nothing wrong with keeping the Swiss resorts open for domestic visitors. I assume if you live locally to a ski resort that's what you do

Precisely Ellianne; which is exactly what Austria has done. But to make sure that people didn't travel from afar, they've closed shops, hotels and restaurants thereby ensuring that only local people could access their skiing facilities. Switzerland decided to keep everything open, to everyone, and therefore took a huge risk that the pandemic would spread from overseas visitors.

Callistemon

Where are they?

I was going to say that this mysterious case has more holes than Gruyère cheese but Swiss Gruyère doesn't have holes does it?

Bravo - and spot on. Gruyères does NOT have holes- Emmenthal does.

Chewbacca

^There would be nothing wrong with keeping the Swiss resorts open for domestic visitors. I^ assume if you live locally to a ski resort that's what you do

Precisely Ellianne; which is exactly what Austria has done. But to make sure that people didn't travel from afar, they've closed shops, hotels and restaurants thereby ensuring that only local people could access their skiing facilities. Switzerland decided to keep everything open, to everyone, and therefore took a huge risk that the pandemic would spread from overseas visitors.

So did Switzerland, only restaurants serving residential guests were opened. The full ban came when the mutant version from UK and South Africa were confirmed to be a real issue.

The UK had known about those since September, but chose not to share said info until it was too late.

Can’t decide if I should cut out sugar or carbs or just try to do smaller portions.
I may have to resort to the cabbage soup diet.

Meanwhile, the Wensleydale with cranberries was very tasty.

Look at the reports all over Europe calling them tourists as in mokryna's, opening question. So yes, the resort was actually open to tourists.

No idea. In the 2 weeks leading up to the holiday, there was much discussion about if the resort would be open. Although I left with my students, the ski camp is still open. Packed with international students.

Elliane Switzerland is not part of the EU, is it?

Certainly not. What I mean is if the rest of Europe, and further afield, perceive Verbier as an open fully functioning tourist resort they will flock there.

So did Switzerland, only restaurants serving residential guests were opened.

biba so Switzerland kept its hotels, and accompanying restaurants, open to the international public, in the middle of an international pandemic, contra to the advice given and taken by other EU states? What was it that made Switzerland decide to ignore the advice, do you know?

It would have been the low rates of Covid at the time the decision was made. The area I live in has NO covid patients in hospital today. We were under lockdown until very recently, maybe 2 or 3 weeks ago.

But then the area I live in doesn't get foreign tourists bringing it in. We are just a residential village.

If you had low rates surely you wouldn't want visitors coming in from places with higher rates?

My DN was complaining to me about people who have fled from Tier 4 London to their holiday homes in the West Country which was in Tier 2, now being put into Tier 3.

France has closed its ski resorts

If you had low rates surely you wouldn't want visitors coming in from places with higher rates?

Our coastal resort is in tier 2, low rates. Probably 100 or so hotels, several luxury ones at £250 a night. Over the past few days since Christmas I have noticed many of them putting new notices up that they are closing from today until further notice. Sorry for inconvenience etc.
I think that implies that the majority of the visitors booked in for new year were from tier 3 or 4.

It's the same dilemma all the time though, isn't it? Low rates, safe to open, keep the economy going. Bearing in mind that ski resorts only make money in winter, if it is safe to open, they want to.

Speaking personally, I don't want to live in those areas. They are just holiday resorts. I am much happier in my Suisse/French village with no tourists and a low rate of covid.

Do they have hiking holidays in summer GagaJo?
Is it a different clientele out of season?

Same her for sure- 'my' area is very similar to yours. Simple, not touristy, and a long way from the Alps and the Hurray Henries in Veeeerbiay.

All ski resorts, in all countries, try to bring more Summer and all season tourists. Walking, hiking, mountain biking, hang gliding, etc, etc- but their busiest and best season, and the one thaat employs the most people- it the ski season.

Andy Wigmore (one of the people who left for France) has also been given two contracts for Covid tests, charging people rip off rates for private tests.

The quarantine was announced, so he and a group left for France and arrived twenty minutes before quarantine started.

What a selfish, self-entitled git!