Listening: Swiss ski lift operators optimistic despite less snowfall
Despite recurring snowless winters, lift operators say they are optimistic: the industry is resilient and innovative, said officials from the Association of Cable Cars in Switzerland at their meeting in Lugano.
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Gestori impianti di risalita ottimisti, “lo sci rimane popolare”
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In their view, however, the future of the resorts lies above 1,800 meters.
“Skiing remains popular, even among young people: the situation has been stable for about ten years,” assured the organisation’s president Hans Wicki at a press conference. Revenues for the 2023/24 winter season are at the level of the previous record of CHF828 million francs attained in 2021/22. Prices have risen as have users at 23.1 million tickets. This is up from the year before, but the 2021/22 winter peak of 25.4 million tickets has not been reached.
“People are willing to pay more to ski, however, today the average cost of a day’s skiing is CHF38,” says Wicky, who has also been a senator for canton Nidwalden since 2015. However, the number of people accessing the slopes below 1,500 meters is decreasing, and this trend will become more pronounced as the climate warms up. In the meantime, summer is becoming increasingly important: income from that segment has increased sharply. “But we are still at a low level compared to winter,” admits Wicky.
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Going downhill: more than 50 Swiss ski lifts are rusting away
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Chairlifts, T-bar lifts and cable cars are being shut down for economic reasons, but also increasingly for climate-related reasons.
According to association’s director Berno Stoffel, “global warming is now seen as an integral part of the industry’s strategy.” In his view, “the future is not threatened above 1,800 meters.” However, artificial snowmaking has become essential.
According to Stoffel, the goal should therefore be to move activities to higher altitudes and to expand the range of available offers (catering, events, winter excursions). Summer offerings also need to be enhanced.
More in the immediate term, the sector also has to deal with the weak economy and the low euro in neighbouring countries, says Stoffel. Factors that could have “huge consequences” for tourism in Switzerland, he adds.
Adapted from Italian by DeepL/ac
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