Conference of the specialist group of Upper Austrian lift companies takes place in Gosau

Around 130 participants accepted the invitation of the cable car companies division of the Upper Austrian Chamber of Commerce to this year's divisional conference at the Gosau Cultural Center. The event focused entirely on innovation and future plans within the industry.

In the morning, guests were given a guided tour by the Dachstein West cable car team, providing them with fascinating insights into current developments on site. Particular attention was paid to the new 6-seater chairlifts "Aussichtsberg" and "Angeralm," which were presented as important investments in the future of the ski area.

The conference boasted a distinguished lineup: Among the participants were National Council Member Bettina Zopf and Mayor Markus Schmaranzer of Gosau, both of whom sent greetings to the Upper Austrian cable car operators. Also present were the Head of the Upper Austrian Transport Department, Dr. Peter Aumayr; the two Vice Presidents of the Upper Austrian Ski Association, Alexandra Gadola-Gamsjäger and Bernhard Zauner; the spokesperson for Austrian Cable Car Partners, Karl Prammer; the Managing Director of the Austrian Cable Car Association, Dr. Erik Wolf; and National Council Member and Association Chairman Franz Hörl. In his welcoming remarks, Hörl focused on the key challenges and opportunities facing the cable car industry.

A highlight of the event was the honoring of distinguished individuals: Dr. Peter Aumayr (Head of the Transport Department of the State of Upper Austria), Ing. Bernhard Dietl (Department of Environmental, Construction and Plant Engineering of the State of Upper Austria), and Dr. Erik Wolf (Managing Director of the Austrian Cable Car Association and the Transport and Traffic Division of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber) were recognized for their more than 40 years of service to the cable car industry and, above all, for their exceptional dedication and member-focused approach. All three will retire this year.

Rupert Schiefer, CEO of Dachstein Tourismus AG, as host, gave an overview of the development of the ski area as well as a preview of a sporting highlight: the Ladies' Ski World Cup, which will take place on December 28 and 29, 2026 with slalom and giant slalom in Dachstein West-Gosau.

The conference offered a broad spectrum of specialist topics: Herbert Zopf, DI (FH) from Sunkid GmbH, presented innovative concepts for the future of children's play areas, focusing in particular on year-round use in both summer and winter. Christian Felder, PhD, addressed the general overhaul of cable car systems and the implementation of the Energy Efficiency Directive. Peter Winkler, MA, provided information on current developments within the trade association, including tax changes such as the treatment of holiday pay. Nadine Illetschko, MA, presented the successful apprenticeship program for cable car technicians and the "100 Years of Cable Cars" anniversary campaign, which is also of great importance in Upper Austria – for example, with the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Feuerkogel cable car.

The event concluded with an overview of current industry developments in Upper Austria by the head of the specialist group, Helmut Holzinger. He particularly emphasized the great importance of promoting young winter sports enthusiasts, for example, through the "Pistenfloh" program, winter sports days and weeks, and the free school ski day, all made possible by the support of the State of Upper Austria. The results for both the smaller and especially the larger ski resorts in Upper Austria for this winter season were very positive; some even recorded record-breaking visitor numbers. However, this is contingent on efficient snowmaking systems.

The specialist group meeting once again impressively demonstrated that the cable car industry in Upper Austria is an indispensable part of Upper Austrian tourism, future-oriented and well-connected, and will continue to be so.