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Mercedes Navarrete
Granada
Wednesday, 9 April 2025, 15:15
Between the Covid-19 pandemic, warm weather resulting in a lack of snow in recent years and last year's landslides on the resort's access road, Granada's Sierra Nevada ski resort has not stayed open until May for six years. Keeping the only resort in southern Europe running for as long as possible - beyond April - has been the dream of local businesses and the union that represents them.
The 2024-25 season was up in the air as the CEO of Cetursa, Jesús Ibáñez, explained on 1 April that if the labour dispute - which had strikes planned for Wednesday 9 April and during the Easter holiday - were not called off, the option of extending the season was out of the question.
However, the assembly of Cetursa Remontes workers agreed on Monday 7 April to call off the strike, after ratifying a pre-agreement with the Junta de Andalucía. As such, Junta de Andalucía spokesperson Rocío Díaz announced on Tuesday 8 April that the Sierra Nevada will remain open until 4 May. It will be the latest closure since the 18-19 season, when the ski resort remained open until 5 May.
Díaz announced that the Junta de Andalucía will launch the promotional campaign 'Esquía la primavera' (ski the spring) to boost the final stretch of the season. The campaign will include events and reduced prices for those who wish to take advantage of the last weeks of skiing and also a calendar of events with music in Borreguiles, festivals and competitions throughout spring in the Sierra Nevada.
The aim, according to Díaz, is to attract "thousands of visitors to the Sierra Nevada", which from 20 April will be "the only resort in southern Europe with snow on offer".
"We feel that we have been saved at the last minute," said the president of the Sierra Nevada business association, Ordoño Vázquez. He went on to say, "Obviously we are happy, but we are not going to deny that we have had a very bad time. The conflict has done a lot of damage, we have lived through very tense moments and the client has undoubtedly suffered the consequences of the uncertainty."
He said although bookings are uncertain at the moment, he is confident that the end of the uncertainty around the strikes and the weather will encourage bookings for Easter. However, he did add that "we have to be patient because we have not had a proper spring season for several years, the client has lost the habit and we have to start up again and give it time".
A week ago Cetursa launched a 'flash offer' called 'snow spring' with two days of free ski pass use at a reduced price, which sold out immediately. Now, as part of the 'Ski the spring' promotional campaign, they have put on sale two days of skiing for adults at 76 euros. In addition, the offer includes a 50% discount on the price of parking. Without the promotion, ski passes are on sale at 50 euros and there are also other options for half-day passes and half-day passes at 22 euros.
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