Winter sports centers in Austria are struggling with similar problems to those in Switzerland. The natural snow cover is decreasing; currently in Austria “above hui, below ugh” also applies. In other words, skiers have to go to a very high altitude to be able to ski normally. In some ski resorts, not all lifts are in use and artificial snow prevails on the ski slopes.
Karin Seiler (50), Managing Director of Tirol Werbung, explains to Blick that the overall booking situation is slightly better than last year, but still behind in winter 2019/2020. With one exception: “For Swiss guests, the booking status for this winter is better than last year and also in 2019.” A similar reluctance can be felt among the Swiss. If you want it cheaper you can therefore look beyond the limit. This also applies more and more to ski holidays.
Local hoteliers explain the reasons for the increase in Swiss interest in Austria with the euro exchange rate, which is very advantageous for the Swiss. Also, as Blick explains, there are often high prices for ski vacations in Switzerland.
Alexander von der Thannen (51), Managing Director of Hotel Trofana Royal in Ischgl, confirms the latter: “We notice a significant increase in Swiss guests in the current winter season.” In addition to the low euro, the stated reason is that prices are very high in Switzerland, especially in western Switzerland.
Franz Hörl (66), owner of Gaspingerhof in Gerlos, near Zillertal, says the same for Franz Hörl (66): “We are again registering a large number of Swiss arrivals this winter season and this tends to be more than in the pre-Corona period.”
Cheaper skiing than before Corona
Climate change and rising prices should actually make skiing in Austria significantly more expensive. Inflation rose to 10.6 percent in November and is at a moderate 3 percent in Switzerland. But from a Swiss perspective, high prices in Austria are buffered by the low euro exchange rate. The euro-franc exchange rate has dropped from 1.68 to 0.95 francs since 2007, making a total of 43 percent.
The actual price difference did not change too much. However, the exchange rate is an important criterion when choosing a holiday destination.
Günther Zangerl (47), CEO of Silvretta Seilbahn AG in Ischgl, explains: “Despite a six percent price increase in euro compared to the previous year for the six-day ski pass, it has become cheaper when calculated in Swiss francs.” In addition, ski pass prices are cheaper than before Corona due to the current exchange rate.
Has the record been broken?
It is not yet clear whether the Swiss will actually be skiing in record numbers in Austria this winter. Official attendance figures for December will not be available until mid-January. But it seems so, according to the feelings of the Austrians surveyed.
You can also hear it from Montafon in Vorarlberg, Austria’s largest ski area closest to Switzerland. Michael Junginger (42), Marketing Manager of Montafon Tourismus, knows that “Swiss guests often return to their home market in difficult times”. However, this ended as a result of the normalization of the Covid situation and rising prices in Switzerland. Demand from Switzerland for Montafon was already at record levels in the summer. It is also expected for this winter.
Carmen Breuss, head of the Austrian tourist office in Switzerland, arrives at Blick for a vacation in Montafon. Although there is no official guest number, there are “lots of Swiss car numbers on the streets” from subjective perspectives. He also sees the strong franc positively. But he doesn’t want to attribute the current high demand from Switzerland to this alone: ”The price-performance ratio for Swiss guests must always be right.”