Fledgling Lithuanian ski industry anticipates skiing stunner

KLAIPEDA - Lithuanians’ eternal grumbling over the superiority of their northern neighbors, Latvia and, particularly, Estonia, may very soon be soothed, and the sometimes lacking self-esteem in its national pride may be boosted to unseen heights. Already in 2011, Lithuania, the host country of the European basketball championship, is pondering snatching the gold, but no less important, that year will mark the opening of a state-of-the-art ski center in Druskininkai, the resort town in the south. It is expected that the 80 million litas (22.8 million euros) year-round indoor facility will be the best of its kind in the entire Eastern Europe, and will equally rival the best similar venues worldwide.

The highly anticipated ski runs in Druskininkai are expected to be 412 meters long and vary from 53 to 63 meters in width, thus, making them the longest year-round skiing trails in Eastern Europe. The project has been allocated 40 million litas from the European Union’s structural funds and the rest of the 40 million litas is being co-financed by the Druskininkai municipality. It is expected that the much talked about venue will be on a par with the best of these kinds of facilities in Moscow and Germany.

It is estimated that the center will host up to 500 visitors daily, and nearly 200,000 visitors yearly. The facility will operate even when air temperatures outside exceed 30 degrees. Considering its overall length, Druskininkai ski center will be one of the best five of this kind worldwide. Some experts predict that, technically, it will be better equipped than similar facilities in the Arab Emirates.

“This project will tremendously induce both foreign tourism and domestic tourism. Without any doubt, the Druskininkai resort will gain a reputation as a European scale resort. Until now, the resort has been regionally known for its spa treatment at its sanatoriums. However, soon, it will turn into a major winter sports oasis on the European map.  Arunas Keraminas, secretary of Lithuania’s Ministry of Economics, said, letting his exuberance out when speaking of the project.
Nijole Kliokiene, director of Lithuania’s Tourism Department, is convinced that the upcoming state-of-the-art ski center will create surplus value not only for the region, but to the entire country as well. “This will be a reason to visit not only Druskininkai and its amenities, but the entire Lithuania as well,” she maintains.

Long-time Druskininkai Mayor Ricardas Malinauskas has long been known as a maverick, credited for outstretched ideas and innovations that have helped transform Druskininkai into a bustling, trend-setting town.
In the beginning of the year, when laying down a symbolic brick at the would-be skiing construction site, Dainius Kreivys, minister of the Ministry of Economy, referred to the mayor as “a big time dreamer who is even a bigger dream implementer.”

While some local and national politicians jealously express their concerns over whether the facility will pay off, Druskininkai’s authorities remain upbeat. “We have estimated everything. Our thorough calculations leave no doubts over its profitability. We have concluded that with the current tourist volumes in our Aqua Park, which attracted 375,000 guests in 2009, versus 425,000 visitors in the previous year, we will be able to operate the ski center profitably with half the flow. Our experience in running the Aqua Park has shown that big projects like this create significant surplus value for the whole region. Recently, we have been seeing a doubling in the flow of Polish tourists and a tripling in the volume of Latvian visitors. Even the crisis has not hit Druskininkai very hard, as we recorded a 6 percent tourist increase last year. 

We are about to launch an aggressive international advertising campaign aimed at attracting tourists from all over Europe. Linas Urmanavicius, director of Druskininkai municipality’s administration, said to The Baltic Times.
Druskininkai’s closest rivals will be quite far away, over 1,200 kilometers, in the German town of Botrop, which so far hosts the largest indoor ski facility in Eastern Europe, and includes skiing runs of over 400 meters in length and artificial snow. There is a ski facility of this kind a bit closer, in Moscow, but it mostly caters to the domestic market.

Unfortunately, until now, Lithuania has nothing to boast of in regards to winter sports pleasures, as scarce local ski centers are often primitively equipped and, therefore, lagging well behind similar facilities in neighboring Latvia, not to mention Western European skiing destinations. In explaining the situation, many reasons should be taken into consideration, including a comparatively shorter winter and the lack of winter sports traditions in Lithuania.

There are 7 ski centers in Lithuania, compared to 33 in Latvia. Not surprisingly, most Lithuanian skiing fans traditionally choose the Latvian facilities or seek pricier skiing pleasures in Italy, Switzerland or Austria. “Traditionally, Latvia has better developed winter sports infrastructure. I could compare the status of basketball in Lithuania to the status of winter sports, particularly, mountain skiing, in Latvia. Our best biathlon sportsmen, cross-country and mountain skiers usually train in Latvia’s winter sport centers, since we have just one well equipped facility in Ignalina. Skiing runs in Latvia are longer, for example, in Sigulda, with a 300 - 400 meter length; our longest run in Ignalina is only 250 meters. Ski runs elsewhere in the country average 100 meters or less, which are of amateurish scale. However, with the ski center in Druskininkai to be opened in 2011, Lithuania will deservedly claim the title of the Baltic ski resort,” said Algimantas Kepezenas, vice-president of Lithuania’s Mountain Ski Federation.

Until now, Ignalina ski center, situated in the northeastern part of Lithuania, with 100 meter downhill trails, four lifts and cozy small hotels and cafes in close proximity, is considered the best ski facility in the country. The center charges adults 12 litas for one hour, 20 litas for 2 hours, 30 litas for 3 hours respectively, adding 5 litas per hour for additional hours. Children under 14 are charged accordingly, at 10, 15 and 20 litas. When it comes to varlinukas, that is how a skiing trail for rookies is dubbed, ski beginners are charged 10, 15 and 20 litas for 1, 2 and 3 hours of the pleasure, respectively. The center rents ski clothing and equipment, like helmets and skis, for those unequipped. However, it may appear quite pricey, as one has to pay an extra 15, 25 and 35 litas for 1, 2 or 3 hours, respectively.

Bronius Cicenas, director of Lithuania’s Winter Sports Center in Ignalina, asserts that the vast majority of visitors this year tended to stick to low cost programs, preferring short skiing sessions, followed by thrifty snacks in nearby cafes. According to him, the ski season, despite the crisis, was “quite good.”
Cicenas explained that “Obviously, the chilly winter was in our favor as there was no usual thaw that used to cripple our business in previous years. This year, we started the season on December 12, a week earlier than usual. We did not have to produce much snow throughout the winter, as it was quite snowy. We closed the season quite late, on March 25. We still have some patchy snow, however, visitors have dropped to single-digit numbers daily, so it made no sense to prolong the season.”

The Ignalina Winter Sports Center employs 15 people in winter, but in summer, there remain only 8 employees. According to the director, the center struggles financially. However, the last ski season netted more cash for the coffers, as there was a significant 20 percent increase in the visitor volume, compared to 2008. “We averaged 1,000 visitors weekly this year. Considering the crisis-hit economy and the decreased purchasing power, that was a surprisingly good result. We ended up last year with a slight loss, but we may finish the year with a slight profit,” said the director, remaining hopeful.

When talking about downhill skiing prospects, Cicenas shows cautious optimism, despite the close proximity of the major Latvian ski centers and the much talked about project in Druskininkai. “I totally disagree with those who claim that Lithuanians prefer the Latvian skiing centers. Our center is no worse than the majority of those in Latvia. I would only say that winter sports fans living close to the Lithuanian-Latvian border tend to go to the Latvian centers. As a rule, downhill skiers hop from one center to another, like gypsies. Our Lithuanian mentality is such that everything abroad is better than in our country. However, I have to admit that the whole winter sports infrastructure has been developed better in Latvia. Nevertheless, with Druskininkai and its year-round ski center to be opened soon, they [the Latvians] will be stripped of their crown as the Baltic ski hub,” Cicenas predicts.

Other ski centers did quite well this year, too. The popular ski center “Kalita,” in Anyksciai, a town in the central part of the country, reported that it generated some profit last winter. The prices here are similar to those in Ignalina, which makes both locations the major ski locations in Lithuania. The sport’s fans praise “Kalita” for the excellent trails, aimed at both more advanced skiers and beginners, compliment its open-air cafe serving tasty barbecued foods and the lighted tracks during the dark hours. Others, though, complain that the center charges too much for its rentals on weekends.
Undoubtedly, Lithuania’s fledgling skiing industry will be shaken to its core by the upcoming state-of-the-art ski center in Druskininkai. Its anticipation is causing many ripples already.