Slovenia’s only high-altitude ski resort set for major revival

The Kanin ski resort on the border with Italy has been closed for almost two years but now the prospect of its reopening, possibly as early as the upcoming season, has improved with the government expressing its willingness to chip in.

Under a letter of intent endorsed by the cabinet, the government is willing to invest up to €30 million in a new cable car from Bovec to the Kanin ski resort, provided the municipality takes case of the building permit and a credible investor, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.

"We have fulfilled our pledge and, I hope, given the local community the impetus to prepare the necessary paperwork ... to go ahead with the construction of the main cable car," Deputy Prime Minister Matej Arčon said after the government session.

He noted the importance of the investment for the development of Slovenia's sole high-altitude ski resort and for its connection with the Sella Nevea ski resort on the Italian side of Mount Kanin.

The resort, which still has natural snow at this time of year and affords superb views of the mountains and the sea, has been shut down since autumn 2023 after failing to obtain an extension of the operating permit for its old cable car.

The local community has been eagerly awaiting the government's move. They published an a open call last week for a bidder to prepare project documentation to renovate the ski resort, complete with the replacement of the cable car and the Veliki Graben chairlift.

Investor from Bolzano has bold plans

Local tourism has been battered hard due to the closure of the ski resort. Bovec, the main adventure hub in the Soča Valley, has seen its visitor numbers reduced to a trickle during winter months.

The letter of intent lists several conditions for the government to chip in, including that a credible investor is found for the renovation of the ski resort's other facilities, buildings and infrastructure.

Tipped as the most serious prospective investor recently is CDC from Bozen (Bolzano) in South Tyrol, which is said to be backed by Russian, Swiss and Italian capital. They are to partner with the Swiss company Bartholet to build the new cableway infrastructure.

The plans are also supported by the neighbouring Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

The investor is expected to spend €105 million on the renovation. The ski resort is scheduled to open in the 2025/26 season, initially with the ski slopes and the existing restaurant. The construction of the first phase of the new cable car is to start next year.

The cable car would be completed in four phases, the last one in 2029 when it would be extended to the Italian side, replacing the existing chairlift. In addition, a cafe is planned under the natural rock window above the slopes.

As the last part of the planned investments, a hotel and a medical centre is to be built in the area of the upper cable car station in 2030.