Grants for investment in mountaineering facilities

Grants are awarded for:

Investments in mountain huts

• refurbishment, extension, compliance with regulations and major maintenance works;
• the purchase of furnishings, equipment (including for internet connectivity) and vehicles suitable for use on rough terrain, for the transport of materials;
• the construction of ancillary facilities, structures and works, such as cableways, hydroelectric power stations, connections to the electricity grid and the generation of energy from renewable sources;
• new mountain huts resulting from the conversion of existing buildings;
• purchase of properties used as mountain refuges, including their renovation.

Investments inhiking refuges (exclusively those not accessible at any time of year by road – including roads not open to ordinary traffic – or by cable car):

• renovation, extension, compliance with regulations and major maintenance works;
• purchase of furnishings and equipment (including for internet connectivity);
• construction of ancillary facilities, structures and works, such as cableways, hydroelectric power stations, connections to the electricity grid and the generation of energy from renewable sources.

Investments in mountain huts

• new construction, refurbishment, extraordinary maintenance and upkeep;
• purchase of furnishings and equipment. 

Work on mountain trails

• annual inspection and routine maintenance, as well as extraordinary maintenance works.

Projects aimed at promoting the province’s mountaineering heritage

• information, publishing and outreach initiatives (including digital formats);
• projects aimed at improving the environmental management of the mountaineering heritage, including activities aimed at obtaining environmental certification.

Assets eligible for tax relief are subject to a restriction on their use for 15 years in the case of property investments and for 5 years in the case of investments in movable assets.

The following groups are eligible for the benefits:

for mountain huts:

• owners and operators of mountain huts;
• owners and operators of hiking huts that are not accessible by road – including roads not open to general traffic – or by cable car;
• those in possession of a registered preliminary contract of sale or another contract sufficient to demonstrate future ownership of the mountain refuge;

for bivouacs:

•  holders of an authorisation issued by the Co-ordination Commission;

for alpine trails:

• those who undertake such activities on an annual basis;  

for information, publishing and outreach initiatives, as well as for projects aimed at improving environmental management: 

• the SAT, the CAI, and the most representative provincial association of mountain guides and mountain hut managers.

Applications, completed on the appropriate forms, may be submitted to the Tourism and Sport Department at any time of the year via:

• the “automatic procedure”for expenses already incurred by the date of submission of the application, provided they were incurred no later than the previous calendar year and amount to less than €250,000.00 (excluding categories (a), (b) and (d) – limited to extensions and refurbishments as specified in point 2 of the implementation criteria);

• the “assessment procedure”for expenditure to be incurred after the application has been submitted.

The documentation must be drawn up and submitted in accordance with point 6 of the implementing criteria. 

Applications may be submitted at any time of the year. 

Within 90 days of the application being submitted, the Tourism and Sport Department will verify that the eligibility criteria have been met, that the expenditure is reasonable, the amount of the grant due, and any applicable requirements, and will issue a decision to award or refuse the grant. The outcome will be communicated to the operator once the decision becomes final, i.e. following a positive review by the Budget and Accounting Service.