COVID PROTOCOLS

Vallnord – Pal Arinsal has already defined the prevention measures against COVID-19, measures that are expected to be adapted during the days. A large part of them were already applied during the summer season, in which the fact of not having suffered any infection stands out. Last season allowed us to learn from the situation, listen to the concerns of the clients and prepare to offer a winter with the maximum possible guarantees.

Currently Andorra is one of the countries with the highest global ratio of PCR tests performed per person. Likewise, all the protocol measures carried out in public spaces such as restaurants, shops and other centers, show the great effort of the country to contain the outbreak. These measures are also applied in ski resorts, which come together to establish common protocols, but at the same time, work is being done on customizing and adapting the most convenient for each of them.

As measures to be highlighted, Vallnord – Pal Arinsal has opted for the placement of Hexis Pure Zone anti-microbial vinyls on contact surfaces such as tables, chairs, windows, doorknobs, cabins, etc. that do not allow the appearance and development of bacteria and viruses. The cleaning service has been strengthened to make it constant throughout the day in common areas of customer service, merchandising, restaurants and offices. Finally, a 95% reduction in the printing of physical plans has been chosen to avoid the physical transmission of paper, while promoting the use of the station’s APP. In this sense, work is being done to offer customers updated data regarding the percentage of employment in restaurants, as well as the possibility of reserving these spaces to avoid any type of queue in the premises.

Detail of the main measures and precautionary rules for COVID-19 in Vallnord – Pal Arinsal:

General Measures

• Access to the station is prohibited if the person has obvious symptoms of having been infected with COVID19: fever, dry cough, tiredness and a feeling of suffocation.
• Placement of Hexis Pure Zone anti-microbial vinyls on contact surfaces such as tables, chairs, windows, doorknobs, booths, etc. that do not allow the appearance and development of bacteria and viruses.
• The use of the approved mask or neck tube in common spaces will be mandatory. Age will be governed by the current decree established by the Government of Andorra. Currently (according to decree 10-28-2020) the mandatory age of use is from 8 years.
• Removing the mask will only be allowed in catering spaces once seated at the table.
• Recommendation of the use of the approved neck mask or tubular when practicing snowboarding, snowshoeing or ski mountaineering.
• Use of gloves and glasses mandatory in the snow field (skiable areas and widgets)
• Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, mouth, and nose.
• Provision of hydroalcoholic gel dispensers in all spaces and mandatory use when entering closed spaces
• Maintaining a 1.5 meter safety distance at all times
• Continuous ventilation of closed environments
• Smoking ban throughout the premises, with the exception of the cases contemplated by current regulations.
• Continuous disinfectant cleaning service at all points of the station.
• Capacity limited to closed spaces to guarantee the minimum interpersonal safety distance.
• Special measures in the station car parks: battery parking (except staff instructions) and a minimum space of 1.5 m between vehicles
• Recommendation of use of means of reservation and purchase with virtual payment, “BOPI” (buy online, pickup in store) for the maximum of services
• Payment recommendation using cards and contactless devices
• Signaling of safety distances in spaces where waiting queues are generated (Cashiers, restaurants, ..)
• The purchase of ski passes via TVM machines will be promoted, as well as card payments.
• Seal of certification of COVID-19 measures or any type of virus by rating agencies from OCA Global.
• Antigen testing of all station workers.

Ski-Lifts

• Placement of Hexis Pure Zone anti-microbial vinyls on contact surfaces in cabins (La Massana Gondola, Els Orriols Gondola and Cable Car).
• Mandatory use of gloves and goggles in ski areas and all lifts.
• Mandatory use of a mask or neck tube
• Capacity will not be limited to outdoor ski lifts. (Maximum capacity + maximum speed = minimum waiting time in queues).
• The limitation of capacity to closed lifts (gondola and cable car) will be subject to the obligations that the Government decrees for the capacities in public transport at all times.

Gastronomy

• Following the current decree of the Government of Andorra: collection of contact details of all customers who use the restaurant service (pending the evolution of the situation)
• Placement of Hexis Pure Zone anti-microbial vinyls on contact surfaces on tables, chairs, windows, doorknobs, etc.
• Restaurant letters using QR codes
• Advance booking recommendation at table service restaurants
• Following the decree 10-28-2020 of the Government of Andorra, no bar service will be performed
• Disabling the Self-Services spaces (Pal and Arinsal)

Nursery and snow garden service

• Limitation of capacity and age (from 3 to 6 years) of the nursery service
• Early booking will be needed
• Children over 6 years old must wear a mask.
• Ask adults the epidemiological status of minors and their current status.
• Physical contact should be avoided as much as possible, cleaning those parts where there has been contact should be done
• Limitation as far as possible the interaction between children of the same group
• Non-removable classroom groups will be held during the day and part-time (morning or afternoon). However, the possibility of establishing longer classroom groups will be ensured if possible.
• There will be an impact on the cleaning, disinfection and continuous ventilation of the rooms.

Ski school and Snowplus

• Have a list of the chain of periodic contacts between clients and staff.
• Do not mix living units. The monitor and the students are a group of coexistence.
• The monitor who starts the course with a group of students will finish it. Monitors in the same group will not be changed.
• The social distance of 1.5 meters between them will be necessary and limit the number of students to 5 people.
• Approved neck mask or tubular and mandatory glasses for students and teachers.
• Doubling the meeting points for class appointments, going from 5 to 10 meeting points and 4 m separation between groups.

Activities

• To carry out any of the activities in Vallnord – Pal Arinsal, the use of a mask will be mandatory from 6 years old.
• Mandatory cleaning and disinfection of hands in each use of activity
• Disinfection of each material used when a customer enters and leaves.
• Controlled capacity in the toboggan run area
• Management of queues in activities where they can be generated.

A SEASON OF GUARANTEES

Also, in addition to these protocols, the station has established measures such as COVID-19 guarantees for seasonal passes and for purchases of tourist packages. Regarding season passes, Vallnord – Pal Arinsal offers coverage for Ski & Bike and Ski & Nature passes in the event of a new general confinement of the country due to a re-outbreak of COVID-19. This guarantee would only apply in the event that the station had to close due to force majeure before the scheduled date (April 11, 2021), and would be carried out, compensating customers who request it, with an amount that will be redeemable in the purchase of the same ski pass for the next winter season 2021 to 2022. In this sense, in the event of early and unforeseen closure of the station before February 16, 2021, where the season would have already been covered by 60%, EMAP will compensate with 100% of the value of the days not amortized of the pass. All details can be consulted on the station’s website.

Regarding the products and services that Vallnord – Pal Arinsal offers online through its reservation center, cancellations will be free even less than 24 hours in advance in some cases:

• Free cancellation change of date in ski passes, until 5:00 p.m., the day before the start of the service.
• Free cancellation or change of date in private classes, until 5:00 p.m. the day before the start of the service.
• Free cancellation or change of date in group classes / children’s snow park, until 5:00 p.m. the day before the start of the service.
• Free cancellation or change of date in the following activities, until 5:00 p.m. the day before the start of the service: toboggan run, donut descent, kid’s zip, big zip, rope park, snowshoe and snowmobile rental childish.
• Free cancellation of the following activities, as long as you communicate 48 hours in advance: Buggies, Guided tours with snowshoes or with Skimo, Snowtrike.
• Free cancellation or change of date in the following restaurant services, until 5:00 p.m. the day before the start of the service: sandwich combo, pasta / pizza combo and free menu.
• Free cancellation of High Mountain Theme Dinners (except for the new “Nocturna” show) as long as 48 hours in advance are communicated.
• As for the hotels, the policies to apply will be the same as those imposed by the establishments themselves according to the days in advance of the cancellation, depending on the high season, low season, etc …

FORECAST OPENING: December 4th