PROVINCIA DE HUESCA – By connecting the ski slopes in the Spanish Pyrenees, Spain wants to create a ski area that will be one of the largest in the world. With €26 million from European funds, a chairlift will be built that will connect the stations Formigal and Astún.
This initiative comes on top of a previous €8 million investment awarded in 2021. This was to connect the ski resorts of Astún and Candanchú. “It is what characterises the competitiveness of ski resorts today, the kilometres of the ski area and a minimum time to be able to be in different ski stations and visit different valleys,” said Marta Gastón, the president of Grupo Aramón. This public-private group manages four ski stations in the Aragonese Pyrenees.
Together almost 300 kilometres of slopes
When the new project is ready, the Aragonese ski stations will together comprise almost 300 kilometres of slopes. This would put the Pyrenees in 11th place in the ranking of largest stations in the world. This was also confirmed by the Minister of Economy of the regional government of Aragon.
Related: Travel special: winter sports in Spain
The Aramón group defends that the connection project is an opportunity for companies in the sector and “for the socio-economic development of the valleys and the regional economy”.
Attracting more foreign winter sports enthusiasts
According to the Aragon General Directorate of Tourism, “the clientele of the resorts in the area is mainly national”. Skiers from abroad make up only 6% of the total on average. This data contrasts sharply with that of the Catalan Pyrenees, where 30% of skiers in Baqueira Beret (Lerida) come from abroad.
Related: Winter sports season in Spain opens
The competent administrations intend to attract international visitors and convince tour operators of the potential of the slopes. With the planned reforms, they would have an area comparable to that of Andorra.
