20 Years of the Schladming-Dachstein Card

A successful tourism model with an impact far beyond the summer season – Summer overnight stays have almost doubled since the card's introduction, reaching nearly 1.9 million – Over 1,500 accommodation providers and around 200 service and bonus partners make the destination card a key vacation product (June 1, 2026, Schladming) – Since its introduction in 2007, the Schladming-Dachstein Card has become a central component of the tourism offerings in the Styrian tourism region of Schladming-Dachstein. Two decades later, the Schladming-Dachstein Card is much more than a classic guest card: It is considered an important factor in the region's tourism development and a link between accommodation providers, excursion destinations, and leisure providers. And the figures speak for themselves. For example, the region recorded just under 880,000 overnight stays in the first half of 2006, between May and October; By summer 2025, the number had already exceeded 1.9 million. These rising overnight stay figures reflect the region's continuous development into an attractive year-round destination. A strategic milestone with lasting impact: Schladming-Dachstein has been closely associated with winter sports for decades. The introduction of the Schladming-Dachstein Card marked a strategic turning point: For the first time, the summer tourism program was consolidated under one umbrella, making the region easily accessible to guests even during the warmer months. "The Schladming-Dachstein Card was and remains a crucial driver of this development. Together with many other successful initiatives, it has significantly contributed to making summer an equally important pillar of our destination," explains Mathias Schattleitner, Managing Director of the Schladming-Dachstein Tourism Region. The offerings now extend beyond the summer months: The card accompanies guests across several seasons and also includes numerous services in spring and autumn. The Schladming-Dachstein Card is valid from May 14th to November 1st in the 2026 season. A well-established network forms its backbone.

The "ARGE Schladming-Dachstein Card" is the independent organization behind the Schladming-Dachstein Card. The network currently comprises around 1,500 accommodation providers and approximately 200 service, package, and bonus partners. The range of offers extends from daily ascents and descents on a mountain railway of the cardholder's choice and the use of public transportation to admissions to museums, spas, and lakes, as well as a comprehensive family and hiking program.

"For 20 years, the Schladming-Dachstein Card has been a strong community product for the region and an example of what can be achieved through close cooperation among many service partners. As representatives of the ARGE Schladming-Dachstein Card, we are delighted that our Planai, Hochwurzen, and Dachstein mountain railways, along with the hiking bus lines, are part of a comprehensive offering that brings guests closer to the diversity and beauty of the region," says Sepp Anichhofer, Head of Services at Planai-Hochwurzen-Bahnen GmbH.

"Leisure Card" for Locals: With the Feratel Card system, implemented since 2015, and a fully digital card solution, the Schladming-Dachstein Card is state-of-the-art: It can be accessed directly on your smartphone, is paperless, and easy to use. The offering is complemented by the "Leisure Card" for locals, of which around 5,000 cards were issued per season recently, as well as by "Auszeit Dahoam" (Time Out at Home), which offers residents of the region a free trial day with over 100 included services. " It is important to us that our tourist offerings are valuable not only for holidaymakers but also for the people who live here. We are delighted that so many locals are taking advantage of this offer – this is how tourism and quality of life go hand in hand in Schladming-Dachstein , " says Andreas Keinprecht, Chairman of the Schladming-Dachstein Tourism Association. All information about the Schladming-Dachstein Card is available online at www.schladming-dachstein.at/card . www.schladming-dachstein.at