Industry News
After nearly two years of closure, the Kanin-Sella Nevea ski resort straddling the Slovenian-Italian border could soon reopen, as the Slovenian government has pledged up to €30 million for the construction of a new cable car from Bovec to the mountain’s summit. According to Slovenian newspaper Primorske Novice, the cabinet formally endorsed a letter of intent on June 12, contingent on the local municipality securing a building permit and a credible private investor to fund accompanying infrastructure.
Slovenian minister Matej Arčon announced the decision following the government session, stressing the importance of restoring Slovenia’s only high-altitude ski resort and its direct connection to Italy’s Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. “With this, we have fulfilled our commitment and, I hope, given the local community the impetus to prepare all the necessary documentation, which will later be transferred to the state so we can proceed with construction,” he said.
Mount Kanin rises to 8,547 feet (2,605 metres) and offers some of the longest-lasting natural snow in the Julian Alps. The resort is unique in that it connects directly to Italy’s Sella Nevea ski area, enabling skiers to cross borders on a single pass. On clear days, the slopes provide sweeping views that stretch to the Adriatic Sea.
Kanin has been closed since autumn 2023, when its aging cable car system lost its operating permit. Since then, Bovec, a vibrant summer adventure destination, has seen its winter tourism dwindle to near zero. Local officials have long awaited financial backing from the state before launching a full-scale redevelopment effort. Just last week, the Municipality of Bovec issued a public call for bids to prepare project documentation for the resort’s renovation, including the full replacement of the circular cabin lift and the Veliki Graben chairlift.
The government’s contribution is conditional upon the municipality delivering a building permit and securing a reliable investor to modernise the resort’s wider facilities, including its base infrastructure and accommodation offerings.
Currently leading the list of prospective investors is CDC, a company based in Bozen/Bolzano, South Tyrol, Italy. Backed by Russian, Swiss, and Italian capital, CDC plans to partner with the Swiss cable car manufacturer Bartholet to deliver the new lift system. The regional government of Friuli-Venezia Giulia has also expressed support for reconnecting the ski area across the border.
The investor is expected to commit €105 million to the redevelopment. The resort aims to reopen for the 2025-26 ski season, initially operating with refurbished slopes and an existing mountaintop restaurant. Construction on the new cable car is scheduled to begin next year and will proceed in four annual phases, culminating in 2029 with a full extension to the Italian side, replacing the current chairlift to Sella Nevea, Italy.
Future additions include a panoramic café below the Prestreljeniško okno (a striking natural rock arch) and, by 2030, the construction of a hotel and medical centre at the upper cable car station.
The Kanin-Sella Nevea ski area once stood out as one of the most distinctive destinations in the Alps, combining high-altitude terrain, breathtaking views, and seamless cross-border skiing. For the Goriška region and the town of Bovec, the government’s investment marks a crucial step toward rebuilding winter tourism, securing jobs, and reinforcing Slovenia’s ties with neighbouring Italy.
If all conditions are met and construction stays on track, Kanin could soon return to the ski map—not just as Slovenia’s highest resort, but as a symbol of alpine cooperation and resilience.
