Piemonte Economy

Mountain

Piedmont focuses on snow with funds from the Manoeuvre and an additional financing plan

In addition to the approximately 25 million euro earmarked in the 2024 Budget Law for the region's ski resorts, the Cirio government has earmarked support of 100 million from 2019 to 2023 and has another 50 million ready

by Giorgia Colucci

12 January 2024

4' min read

Key points

Contributions in manoeuvre
An already strong division
Uncem says municipalities need more resources

4' min read

Between snow and mountain tourism, for the 2024 winter season Piedmont is once again banking on the treasures of its territory. The ski lift system, according to estimates by Anef Torino (National Association of Cableway Operators) generates an average 70 million turnover, while the value of its induced economy is just under one billion euro. "With 3 million skiing days every year and 1,200 employees, we are the third largest resort in Italy and the Via Lattea ski area - between Alta Val Susa and Val Chisone - is among the top 13 ski resorts in the world," the Region explained in a note. For this reason, in addition to the 100 million in support of the sector allocated between 2019 and 2023 (of which 62 million for artificial snow and management expenses and 38 for new investments), Alberto Cirio's junta has ready a 50 million plan to support the mountains, which will be made available to local authorities that will be able to present projects to strengthen the snow system.

Contributions in manoeuvre

Regional contributions have recently been joined by those of the Budget Law 2024, approved by Giorgia Meloni's government. This is a total of 148 million euro for the upgrading of ski facilities and snowmaking throughout Italy, of which about 25 million will go to Piedmontese operators. In detail, Sestriere (Sestriere Spa) and Alagna Valsesia (Monterosa Spa) will respectively receive 10 million euro, Limone Piemonte 209,000 euro (company Funiviari e Turistici di Limone Piemonte), Prato Nevoso more than a million, Domobianca 1.6 million and San Domenico di Varzio almost 9. The allocation from now until 2026, said the Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanchè, will touch 200 million euro.

"The quality of the projects has stood out," emphasised Region President Alberto Cirio and councillors for tourism Vittoria Poggio and for sport Fabrizio Ricca, "which received a very high score and were therefore rewarded by the Ministry. With these funds, the white tourism companies will have the opportunity to modernise their facilities, making them even more attractive, a great result that strengthens a production segment that has repercussions on local economies and the economy of families. Not to mention," they added, "that these funds will also be joined by the 50 million Fsc from the plan signed with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

An already strong division

The funds will go to strengthen an already healthy sector. "The ski season has started well, with the early snowfalls in December, with the high areas having good coverage," says Nicola Bosticco, vice-president of Anef Turin. "The resorts of Bardonecchia and Turin have recorded an increase in season passes of over 10%. For the holiday period, we recorded a full house in hotels and flats, while for the month of January we expect to fill between 60 and 80%".

Investing in lift systems, according to Bosticco, is also advantageous for the summer period, also in view of a reduction in snowfall: 'Many facilities are managing to deseasonalise their activities, focusing on catering in mountain huts, events or walks on the trails,' he explains. 'The Region is and must continue to be increasingly attentive to this aspect, because employment and opportunities keep the inhabitants and keep the mountains alive.

Italians' interest in tourism at high altitudes and in the snow is also reflected by trends in house purchases, as described in the latest analysis by Immobiliare.it Insights, the proptech company of Immobiliare.it. In the major Italian mountain resorts, including Sestriere, both searches and prices are on the rise, thanks to the revaluation of their infrastructure. Even in the Piedmontese municipality, the time to sell a property has been reduced by 75% over the past five years to an average of 1.6 months.

For Uncem we need more resources for municipalities

"We know how important the snow sector is, and it must be supported, but we do not want a vision of playful mountains to prevail these days. The Alps and Apennines are not a playground for the city, especially in times of climate crisis," warned Marco Bussero, president of Uncem (National Union of Mountain Municipalities). According to the organisation, the new funds that are being allocated, in addition to those foreseen in the Manoeuvre, and for the next ones that will arrive from the Region, should not only be directed to the big plant builders.

"Castling is really public transport for the mountains," says Bussero, who continues more critically, "it would have been important to provide 100 million euro, or 300 as Uncem had asked, to finance the Green Communities strategy, and the 190 projects put forward by the territories in 2021 on the Pnrr call. Of these, 35 have already obtained funding,' he explained. 'All the others must be financed because they are local development strategies that jointly address the climate crisis and the demographic crisis, overcoming the logic of parochialism, involving businesses, uniting different fields of action, but seen from a single key'.