Catalonia is about to face a 10-day lockdown to stop the growth of infections (between January 7 and 17). These new restrictions were approved yesterday by the Generalitat (Catalan Government), which means that citizens cannot travel outside of their town/city. La Masella ski resort has decided to stay open.
It will open daily to maintain and groom the slopes for when 100% of the ski area can be reopened again. Despite all this, it is economically unviable for the company to keep the facilities in operation only for the locals of Alp, Das and Úrus, where the ski area extends. These days the resort will open its slopes and lifts adapting to the demand of skiers.
Christmas Report
Of almost the four weeks that Masella has been in since the opening began, on December 14, 2020 only the first 4 days were developed without any restrictions to contain the pandemic.
The Christmas festivities, with the perimeter closure of La Cerdanya, have been very bad for Masella, with a low influx of skiers. The prospect of municipal confinement, during the next 10 days, worsens the situation.
Assessed from a socioeconomic perspective, the situation is terrible. It is a major economic setback for Masella, its suppliers, for the ski ski area and for the economy of Cerdanya in general.
"From Masella we understand the seriousness of the situation and now we must make people's health prevail, although it is a very difficult situation for the sustainability of the company, for the staff and for the socioeconomic sustainability of Cerdanya."
Actions that Masella will take
Masella is the private resort in Catalonia that has worked the least during the holidays, due to the perimeter closure of La Cerdanya. Almost all the rest of the Catalan alpine ski resorts are publicly owned and depend directly on Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya. This means that Masella, in these crucial moments of the season's turnover, remains open with its own resources. It is for this reason that Masella undertakes all actions to request aid from the administration in order to guarantee its viability.
Unfortunately, the company will carry out a partial ERTE (ferlo), with the commitment that if the situation returns to normal it will restore jobs immediately.
