25 Years of Best Austrian Summer Mountain Railways Celebrated
25/July/2026
BÖSB Summer Conference: Austrian National Tourist Office, the Austrian Cable Car Association and the hosts cover a range of topics from summer potential and 25 years of the quality seal to specific offers in Vorarlberg.
Today, the alpine mountain summer is a strategic pillar of Austrian tourism: Current summer potential analyses by the Austrian National Tourist Office show stable to growing demand for nature experiences, summer retreats, and shared time in the mountains. The "Best Austrian Summer Mountain Lifts" are largely responsible for the mountain summer as guests know and appreciate it today. To mark the 25th anniversary of the quality seal, the quality initiative has developed 10 theses for the future of the mountain summer, describing the mountains as high-quality, responsible, and year-round recreational spaces. The Montafon and Golm regions illustrate how these regions and mountain lifts are already actively shaping this future.
Astrid Steharnig-Staudinger: Mountain summer delights guests of today and tomorrow
Mountain holidays remain among the most popular types of vacation in Europe. The latest summer potential study by the Austrian National Tourist Office shows that around 41.2 million Europeans are planning a mountain, hiking, or mountain biking holiday in the summer of 2026. Austria is among the most popular mountain destinations in Europe: 31 percent of those planning a mountain holiday have already confirmed or are almost certain they will visit Austria. Nature experiences, hiking, active recreation, and spending time together in the mountains are particularly in demand. Generation Z also shows an above-average affinity for mountain holidays.
“The mountain summer is now a key element in positioning Austria as a year-round destination. Generation Z, in particular, demonstrates that mountains are no longer a typical seasonal product: they seek authentic experiences, activity, and nature, rather than mere postcard images. Our cable cars provide the necessary foundation for this: they open access to the mountains and, together with the regions, develop high-quality offerings that delight guests throughout the year. It is precisely this combination of quality, innovation, and genuine hospitality that makes Austria so successful internationally as a mountain destination,” says Astrid Steharnig-Staudinger, CEO of the Austrian National Tourist Office.
Kornel Grundner: 25 years of quality seal and a look to the future
For 25 years, the "Best Austrian Summer Mountain Lifts" have stood for cooperation, continuous development, a sense of responsibility, and certified experience quality. The 10 theses for the future (see appendix) summarize the shared understanding of the summer mountain experts regarding what a cable car region needs to position itself for future success. At its core, it rests on three pillars: resilient businesses, experiences with identity, and responsibility. The foundation is the collective strength of cooperation.
“Twenty-five years ago, summer in the mountains was considered the off-season in many places; today, it’s a consciously developed mainstay for businesses and regions,” says Kornel Grundner, spokesperson for the Best Austrian Summer Mountain Lifts. “Our seal of approval isn’t just a sticker, but a commitment to development. The direction is clear: summer lifts are evolving into year-round adventure mountains that combine experiencing nature, comfort, and responsibility. Anyone who travels to a Best Austrian Summer Mountain Lift receives a clear quality promise: reliably orchestrated experiences on the mountain that benefit guests and the region in the long term – today and for future generations.”
Josef Manahl: The Montafon region as a mountain summer and year-round destination
For years, Montafon has consistently positioned itself as an alpine year-round destination where experiencing nature, physical activity, regional identity, and high-quality tourism are closely intertwined. The mountain summer plays a central role in this: it creates attractive offerings for families, active vacationers, day-trippers, and those seeking relaxation – while simultaneously strengthening regional economic activity beyond the traditional winter season.
“For Montafon, summer in the mountains is no longer just an add-on, but an essential part of our tourism identity,” says Josef Manahl, Head of Living Space, Products and Events at Montafon Tourism. “Our guests are looking for genuine nature experiences, refreshment, exercise, and time spent together in the mountains. This is precisely where mountain railways, tourism organizations, and businesses can work together to develop compelling offerings – from short excursions and family experiences to high-quality activity and culinary experiences.”
Crucial to this is the interplay within the region: cable cars, accommodation providers, restaurants, agriculture, events, and mobility must all be considered together. In this way, the mountain summer will become not just a tourist product, but a contribution to a vibrant, year-round functioning living environment.
Judith Grass: Golm as an example of consistent summer development
The Golm adventure mountain demonstrates how a traditional mountain railway can be transformed into a versatile summer and year-round adventure destination. Golm Silvretta Lünersee Tourism GmbH began strategically developing its summer offerings early on, envisioning the entire mountain as an adventure space – with a clear focus on families, nature, physical activity, and quality. Attractions such as forest slides, a zip line, hiking trails, mountain experiences, and enhanced mountain restaurants combine adventure, relaxation, and regional economic development.
“We recognized early on at Golm that the mountain summer is not a side issue, but an important future space for our guests, our employees and the entire region,” says Judith Grass, Managing Director of Golm Silvretta Lünersee Tourismus GmbH. “Our goal is to create offerings that inspire families, make nature tangible and at the same time act responsibly towards the sensitive alpine environment.”
The 10 future-oriented principles of Austria's Best Summer Mountain Lifts are thus concretely evident at Golm: in the year-round use of existing infrastructure, in high-quality and safe experiences, in regional integration, sustainable thinking, and a diverse range of offerings that appeal to different target groups. "A successful mountain summer isn't created by individual attractions, but by a coherent overall picture," says Grass. "When experience, nature, gastronomy, safety, and hospitality come together, a mountain experience is created that touches guests – and benefits the region in the long term."
The study "Mountain Holidays in Summer" by the Austrian National Tourist Office provides valuable insights into target groups, trends, and potential in alpine summer tourism. It is available free of charge to all partners in the industry.
The "Best Austrian Summer Mountain Lifts" seal of approval is an initiative of the Austrian Cable Car Association (Austrian Federal Economic Chamber) and stands for quality, cooperation, and sustainable regional development. The seal unites the experts and pioneers of Austrian summer mountain tourism and now boasts 84 members with 101 themed mountains. Only businesses that meet at least 100 quality criteria become one of the Best Austrian Summer Mountain Lifts. Specializing in five thematic areas – Adventure, Family, Panorama & Nature Experience, Culinary Delights, and Art & Culture – members must undergo recertification every three years. A diverse range of experiences is guaranteed – which is why the seal of approval has become an important factor for holidaymakers when choosing a destination.
