European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 24, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Jukl 1uropeindustry facing Uncertain season Snow drought Gulf crisis cause jitters by Randy Mcclain staff writer Lack of Snow has played havoc with the european ski Industry the past three Winters but this year Many resort owners and tour operators Are worried about a Grinch of a different sort stealing their business. Quot due to the situation in the persian Gulf and the weak Dollar i m afraid the americans won t come at All Quot said Josef Julen co owner of hotel Merineau a ski resort in Zermatt Switzerland. Julen and other resort owners say travel by americans As Well As by european customers could fall victim to economic jitters this year. The american military family s Leisure plans May be disrupted by the Middle East crisis especially if a member of the family is called to duty there. Add to that fears about rising gasoline prices a weak Dollar and concerns among service members and civilians alike about losing their jobs in european troop cutbacks and you be got a lot of reasons to play it Safe. Quot i think with Saddam Hussein and the other factors people want to be Damn sure about their Money Quot said Geni Walch co owner of a 65-bed hotel in stuben am Arlberg in the austrian Alps. Quot it could easily be that people decide to save this year and not go on  other tour operators Are also worried about How Many germans traditionally among Europe s biggest spenders on travel will stay Home this Winter because of fears about higher taxes that May be imposed on them to help finance German unification. Quot we will be Happy to reach the same level of business we had last season Quot said Julen whose hotel sits in the Shadow of the giant matterhorn near the Swiss italian Border. Fresh concerns about whether economic factors could Kidnap this year s ski season in Europe come on the heels of dismal snowfalls in the Winters of 1987, 1988 and 1989 that made for some of the greenest Winters in recent memory. In Many areas of Germany Switzerland Austria France and Italy Snow did t arrive until Well after Jan. 1 this year and by then a Large number of vacationers had opted for warm weather trips instead of taking to the slopes travel Industry representatives said. Quot quite a lot of people were scared when Christmas came last year and there was no Snow Quot Walch said. Quot they headed for the Bahamas or Bermuda  Helmut Steger president of tyrolean Tours in Kirc Dorf Austria said he Hopes i warm weather and a Lack of Snow shut Down Many ski areas during parts of the fast three Winters in Europe this Winter is better for business than the past few years but he in t taking bets on it. Quot we were Down 5 percent on our bookings last year and that was t too bad Quot he said. Quot this year it s too Early to Tell. You can t say How it will  Steger does see two important trends however. Skiers made gun shy by three consecutive subpar Winters seem to be waiting longer to Book trips than in years past and they Are reluctant to plan outings that will last longer than three or four Days. People Don t want to risk losing an entire week s Worth of vacation to no Snow so they Are planning most ski trips around Long Holiday weekends he said. Quot people want to see Snow on the ground before they Book a trip Quot added Steger whose tour Agency counts on . Service members and american civilians for 95 percent of its business. Quot it s certainly not like 20 years ago when All the hotels and resorts were already 75 percent booked by this time of  Steger said interest in ski vacations around Christmas and new year s is still running High but otherwise Early season bookings Are Down slightly from last year. Herb Seaton president of the Heidelberg International ski club said he s noticed a reluctance on the part of most americans to sign up for ski trips scheduled before thanksgiving. The Heidelberg club one of the largest for service members in Europe no longer starts any of its group outings before november Seaton said. Two trips planned by the club for the three Day veterans Day Holiday nov. 1012 and for thanksgiving will go to Mountain Glacier areas where Fine skiing conditions Are generally assured even if Snow has t fallen elsewhere. Quot people won t go skiing unless they re 100 percent sure of Snow Quot Seaton said. Despite such disheartening signs though John Schwartz with Scherer Tours in Wurzburg Germany said he sees a few reasons to be hopeful. Quot i m not one of these Guys who says the ski business is dying. I still think it s alive and Well Quot said Schwartz whose travel Agency caters to . Military vacationers. The Way Schwartz sees it service members will put aside their concerns about impending troop cuts in Europe shrug off the Low Dollar and head to the slopes anyway. Quot a lot of americans Are realizing this could be their last time to vacation in Europe Quot he said. Quot and there May be a october 24, 1990 positive increase in business because of  meanwhile travel agents and resort owners Are keeping their fingers crossed for a blizzard filled Winter. Long Range weather forecasts indicate that the chances Are Good for heavy snowfalls this year but some tour operators put Little Faith in weathermen. They prefer to look at nature for hints about what s ahead. Schwartz said he s heard that some species of Birds Are migrating earlier this year and that Mountain goats have More hair on their backs than is Normal for october. Both Are sure signs that a White Winter is on the Way he said. Bob Seymour a travel agent with sport Tours International in mor Felden Germany said his Quot sources in the mountains Quot Tell him that the color of weasels fur is already changing from Brown to White and that Means heavier snowfalls Are almost certain. But Larry Pisoni who operates the italian hotel connection travel Agency in Tezzano Trento Italy thinks he has the Best reason of All to expect a frigid Winter. Quot after three bad years in a Row you be just got to expect that the Good lord will give us Snow Quot he said. Quot it would be the natural