With favourable snow conditions in Austria’s ski resorts, the country’s ski lift operators are on track to exceed last year’s revenue of €1.8 billion.

Franz Hörl, Chair of the Cable Car Association, said: “Our domestic ski lifts are well and truly back.” As of 22 December, first-time entries – visitors using a ski lift for the first time in a day – had increased by 15.3% compared to the same point last season.

Last season, Austrian ski lifts recorded 49.9 million first-time entries. While this remains below the pre-pandemic figure of 54.3 million in the 2018/2019 season, the current trend points to a strong recovery.

Success Across the Country

Hörl emphasised that this year’s success is not confined to western Austria, which led the recovery in the immediate post-pandemic years. “This season is set to bring success across the country, matching past achievements,” he said.

He added that conditions leading up to the season had been particularly favourable. “Perfect autumn temperatures” created ideal conditions for artificial snow production, while recent heavy snowfalls have boosted natural snow levels at many resorts.

Hörl credited local ownership for much of the industry’s success, noting that profits are reinvested rather than distributed to investors. However, he raised concerns about foreign investment, citing a US investor in Kitzbühel. “This is to be accepted,” he said, “but we view these trends with concern, particularly as those seeking quick profits will have little success here.”

Leading on Energy Efficiency

Hörl praised the industry for its commitment to energy efficiency, noting that ski lifts account for just 0.33% of Austria’s total energy consumption. “We achieve the highest economic value on a small area of our homeland with the least possible energy usage,” he said.