15th Joint South Tyrolean & Tyrolean Cable Car Day A Success

15th Joint South Tyrolean and Tyrolean Cable Car Day at the NOI Techpark in Bolzano.  A speech was given by the President of the Association of Cable Car Operators of South Tyrol, Helmut Sartori. He said:

"The idea for a joint conference originated in 1996 in St. Jakob in East Tyrol during the Tyrolean Cable Car Conference. The ongoing exchange has proven its worth over the years, and we are delighted that the Joint Cable Car Day is being held for the fifteenth time this year. It is also a pleasure to welcome numerous cable car enthusiasts from Trentino today.

The Euroregion Tyrol-South Tyrol-Trentino is an economically and touristically significant region: Together, our offerings cover 60% of the winter tourism market in the Alps. The largest manufacturers in the industry are based in the Euroregion. Our work and our investments set standards and provide impetus for the entire European industry.

But our work is also significant in a global context. The USA has the world's largest national ski tourism market. In contrast, the European Alpine region, with 163 million skier visits and 44% of the global market, is the most important ski region in the world. Operators, manufacturers, and employees of our Alpine region essentially form the innovation hub for the cable car industry. This year's conference venue also reflects these values.

In 2023, for example, €161 million was invested in new, sustainable, and energy-efficient technologies in South Tyrol. Specifically, €103 million (64.2%) went into infrastructure, €34 million (21.2%) into the purchase of operational equipment (snow groomers, vehicles, snow cannons, etc.), and €23.5 million (14.6%) was spent on other investments.

Without these investments, we would not be able to maintain our market share and meet the challenges of competition.

Our guests' needs are constantly changing. Fewer and fewer vacationers are booking the traditional "white week" (a week of extended holidays); instead, they now prefer short breaks that take them to the mountains several times a year. Today, vacations are less about escaping everyday life and more about personal growth and fulfilling individual needs that align with their values ​​and lifestyle. Many yearn for balance in nature and the mountains, focus on fitness and competitive sports, and have long recognized the importance of exercise.

This shift in booking behavior is reflected in the increasing numbers of guest arrivals and overnight stays. The preliminary number of guest arrivals in December 2025 is 780,665 (+6.5% compared to the same month of the previous year), and the number of overnight stays is 2,921,272 (+7.5%). According to the National Institute for Statistics (ASTAT), 733,038 arrivals (+6.1% compared to the same month of the previous year) and 3,400,190 overnight stays (+1.6%) will be recorded in January 2026.

The stable demand shows that investment, effort and work are worthwhile.

However, there are also less developed areas and cable car companies with limited investment capacity; these need special support and promotion to ensure their competitiveness. It cannot be denied that the economic efforts our sector must undertake are associated with ever-increasing costs. Just consider the massive rise in energy and fuel costs, which are increasing disproportionately and have been at record highs for weeks.

In today's world order, where virtually nothing remains the same and investment risks are almost impossible to calculate, economic development initiatives send the right signal to domestic businesses. Public investment in companies simultaneously represents investment in competitiveness,

quality, innovation, and sustainability; above all, it is investment in value creation and strengthening the domestic market.

The cable car sector in South Tyrol generated approximately €2.7 billion in tourist spending during the 2023/2024 season. By comparison, tourist spending in other Italian Alpine regions amounted to around €882 million. Public finances also benefit from this dynamic industry: in the province of Bolzano alone, €280 million in taxes flowed into public coffers during the aforementioned period.

We all benefit: 1 million euros in revenue from the lift facilities results in local tourist spending of 5.63 million euros and local sales of 9.36 million euros (value of local production), generating 4.53 million euros in added value in the country.

There are numerous examples, including in the recent history of the single market, that demonstrate the success of a diversified European economy. This is evident even now, as tariffs weaken Europe's competitiveness in foreign trade.

The landscape, the mountains, and the sights that European countries offer strengthen the European economy and form its backbone in turbulent times.

Guests are becoming increasingly international, although in South Tyrol, Italian (around 37%) and German (around 32%) guests still make up the largest share during the winter months. Across Italy, according to estimates from the Italian Observatory for Mountain Tourism ("Osservatorio Italiano del Turismo"), winter sports are enjoying increasing popularity: four million people participate in winter sports, with skiing leading the list at 2.5 million. From the winter season of 2023/24 to the winter season of 2024/25, an increase of 1.8% was recorded, representing 73,500 new enthusiastic skiers in Italy.

Climate change is a reality we in the cable car industry are dealing with. Over the last 40 years, snow conditions have changed – less snow depth at ground level and less fresh snowfall.

Sustainability has long been a key competitive factor for South Tyrol's ski lift operators, as the mountains and nature are among the industry's most valuable resources.

The majority of our member companies now source exclusively green energy, and thanks to ongoing investments, their vehicle fleets and slope grooming equipment are increasingly powered by renewable energy sources. Parking lots, lifts, associated buildings, and reservoirs offer significant potential and usable space for additional photovoltaic systems. All medium-sized and large ski resorts in South Tyrol conduct ongoing surveys and analyses of their greenhouse gas emissions.

The result: Winter tourism, like any economic activity, is associated with CO2 emissions. However, only 6% of the emissions caused by winter tourism are attributable to the operation of the ski resort. The snowmaking equipment is powered almost entirely by green energy, so the ecological footprint remains small. Breaking down the figures to the individual skier, artificial snowmaking generates 150g of CO2 per skier per day, which is equivalent to driving 1km in a diesel car.

Aside from the artificial snowmaking, the cable car itself is a compelling and sustainable mobility solution worldwide.

All signs point to a future of confidence. The challenges ahead will continue to demand innovation, collaboration, and the courage to explore new paths. Strong bookings, record numbers of first-time visitors, and rising employment figures confirm that we are doing our job right and that our efforts are worthwhile.

Statement by Thomas Schroll, who was present representing the Tyrolean cable car association instead of Stefan Mangott.

We look back on a winter that was almost customarily exceptional. It is now the second winter in a row with relatively little natural snow at the start of the season.

Without effective snowmaking, a season start, or even skiing beyond New Year's, would not have been possible for almost all businesses. However, most ski resorts are now very well equipped in this regard.

Snowmaking seasons are becoming shorter and more susceptible to wind, which has shown us that there is still room for improvement, and some colleagues will be making further adjustments for the coming winter. February was characterized by turbulent weather with strong winds and heavy precipitation, making it particularly challenging from an avalanche perspective.

With spring-like temperatures at the beginning of March, it seemed many athletes had already swapped their bikes for skis.

There's a general trend of bookings shifting from March to January. The previously common January lull is practically nonexistent. However, the last two weeks have shown us and our guests that winter isn't over yet. Fantastic slope conditions and wintry temperatures have brought smiles to our guests' faces. The predominantly beautiful weather has generally created a great atmosphere among our guests, and many of our colleagues, when asked, said they would gladly take on such a winter season again.

Our industry is generally healthy and well-positioned, but the general conditions remain challenging. Despite the economic weakness in Central Europe, especially in Germany, we are seeing that demand for holidays and winter sports remains stable. According to recent surveys, around 84 percent of Tyrolean winter holidaymakers participate in alpine winter sports. This clearly shows that people are longing to be active and spend time with friends or family in nature.

At the same time, we must always be prepared for change and recognize that economic success is not a given. Especially in times of rapid change, business areas can develop both positively and negatively due to new conditions. We must remain flexible and adapt to change.

It is encouraging that the public debate surrounding alpine tourism has calmed down somewhat in the last two years. Firstly, because there is a growing recognition that alpine tourism – with regard to sustainability efforts – is already very advanced, and we intend to continue making progress in this area. Secondly, because tourism, as one of the most stable sectors of the economy, makes a significant contribution to the public budget and is therefore increasingly perceived as a key economic factor.

Speaking of a key economic factor:

On July 5, 1926, the Zugspitze Railway was opened in Tyrol, and for this reason Tyrol and all of Austria are celebrating 100 years of cable car history this year.

We are celebrating:

100 years of pioneering spirit,

100 years of innovation,

100 years that have made a significant contribution to today's prosperity, especially in our side valleys.

This occasion not only allows us to look back, but also to look ahead together, and therefore the themes of today's cable car day could not be more fitting.

Finally, a personal thought:

We cable cars move people from A to B, uphill and downhill. We cable cars also move people emotionally – and above all, THAT has been our success story for 100 years."