As Bormio prepares to play host, local ski businesses take short-term hit

BORMIO, Italy, Feb 3 : The northern Italian mountain town of Bormio is no stranger to international ski competitions but the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are on a different scale.

Many hotels and restaurants are expecting booming customer numbers at the site of the men’s Alpine ski and ski mountaineering races, but other local businesses that rely on regular ski tourism in winter months are less optimistic. 

Ski rental shops and the chalet restaurants that line slopes soon to be reserved for elite athletes are facing financial pressures during what is normally their busiest month when many Italians enjoy their annual "settimana bianca" (ski holiday week) in the mountains.

OFF LIMITS TO THE REGULAR SKIER

Bormio, like many mountain towns, lives off tourism and in winter, that tourism revolves around skiing. The town of about 4,000 people has around 10 ski and bike rental shops surrounding its ski lift. 

This year that ski lift will be closed to the public from February 1 to 16. It is still uncertain to what extent it will be operational from February 17-22 during the ski mountaineering events. 

Some businesses are in the meantime getting creative to fill the gap.

Bormio’s ski school, which won’t be able to hold its regular coaching sessions, has its employees helping to prepare the slope for the big races by setting up nets. 

Danilo Compagnoni, owner of Bormio Ski & Bike, expects his shop to make little money this month.

His rental store, however, has a small bar in the entry facing the Stelvio slope. He hopes this will bring in some customers. 

“We have to close everything else, the only job is the bar,” Compagnoni said. 

Others echo his concern.

“Of course we are worried about these months because it’s the most