Ski region Crans-Montana bets on Airbnb for annual growth

The ski resort Crans-Montana is located in the Canton of Valais © Keystone / Jean-christophe Bott

The Valais mountain region of Crans-Montana sees double-digit growth potential beyond the ski season in snow-independent sports and increased Airbnb rentals.

This should also make it possible to remain independent of the US giant Vail Resorts.

“I see growth potential of 10 to 15% for the region over the next two years,” said Crans-Montana tourism director Bruno Huggler on Tuesday on the sidelines of a media conference in an interview with the Keystone-SDA news agency. This forecast covers the entire annual sales, with a particular focus on the previously less important autumn season. So far, the region has made around 60% of its revenue in winter and 40% in summer.

In order to attract people far away from ski tourism to the region, the tourism representative emphasised the region’s diversity. This offers various sports such as golf, trail running, wakeboarding and mountain biking.

Airbnb potential

While the upcoming World Ski Championships in 2027 have led to more investments in the luxury segment – a Hyatt hotel is planned to open at the end of 2024 – the region is trying to get rid of its image as a second home location with blocks from the 1960s and 1970s.

It is true that some residential properties have stood empty in the last few decades. Since the pandemic, however, these have been used and renovated more intensively.

There is also an increasing trend towards Airbnb rentals. “An estimated 15 to 20% of second homes are currently advertised on Airbnb,” says Huggler. This revitalises the region.

Vail Resorts expects growth

Finally, the local tourism association also hopes for growth opportunities through the takeover by the US ski resort operator Vail Resorts. So far, the proportion of American tourists in the area has only been 3 percent. This is likely to change with the integration of the ski area into the “Epic Pass” for the 2024/2025 ski season, according to the tourism director. Currently 80% of the guests come from Switzerland, especially from French-speaking Switzerland.

Vail Resorts recently announced that it would take over a majority stake in the Crans-Montana mountain railways, including the associated restaurants, and in one of the ski schools. The US ski resort operator estimates the value of the resort at around CHF118.5 million.

Investments of around CHF30 million are also planned over the next five years.

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