Gstaad Lift Co' Trend Business Increases thanks to the Magic Pass

The decision by Bergbahnen Destination Gstaad (BDG) AG to join the Magic Pass has generated a great deal of discussion, not only in the run-up to the event but also during the 2025/26 winter season. At the first edition of berneroberland.dialog, the new event series organized by the Bernese Oberland Economic Development Agency, BDG CEO Matthias In-Albon addressed the discussion and presented impressive figures illustrating the benefits the switch to the Magic Pass has brought to the winter destination of Gstaad so far.

Has the switch to the Magic Pass paid off for Bergbahnen Destination Gstaad (BDG) AG? Matthias In-Albon, CEO of the mountain railway company, would likely answer this question with a resounding yes. At the first event in the berneroberland.dialog series, organized by the Bernese Oberland Economic Development Agency, In-Albon used current figures to demonstrate that the company's strategic considerations have proven successful. "We never saw the Magic Pass as a discount product," he explained to around 40 guests at the Landhaus Saanen. "For us, it was a change in our business model." Moving away from the classic day ticket sales to a subscription model with advance sales and greater customer loyalty.

Looking to the USA, specifically Vail, where a similar model, the "Epic Pass," has been successfully used for 20 years, In-Albon reiterated BDG AG's key objectives for switching from the Top4 to the Magic Pass: "We wanted to reduce the heavy reliance on a few peak days and individual holiday weeks and achieve better, more predictable base occupancy." The plan has been successful: The median number of daily first-time visitors rose from 3,600 to 4,900, representing an increase of approximately 35 percent. At the same time, the share of the top 10 days in the total decreased from 25 to 20 percent. This means that individual peak days are not experiencing disproportionate growth; instead, demand is more broadly distributed throughout the entire season. This trend became clearly visible in January 2026: The increase in guests occurred primarily during the week, not on weekends. Between January 6th and 31st, weekdays averaged around 4,700 first-time entries per day, compared to around 3,300 the previous year, representing an increase of approximately 45 percent. "This is precisely where we see the real leverage of the Magic Pass: higher base occupancy on previously weaker days, resulting in a significantly more predictable season," said In-Albon.

The financial calculations also seem to be working out for the mountain railways: "What's crucial isn't just the price of the pass, but the total revenue per guest per day." The company expects transport revenue from November to March to reach around 25 million Swiss francs, roughly 5 million more than in 2024/25. "Without the Magic Pass, transport revenue in a similar winter season would be estimated at 17 to 18 million Swiss francs," says Matthias In Albon, pointing out that the current season, due to snow and weather conditions, should be compared more closely to the 2023/24 season. This additional revenue is particularly significant for the mountain railways: "Whether 12,000 guests are transported in good weather or 4,000 in bad weather, the basic costs for the lifts, slope preparation, ski patrol, and operations remain roughly the same." In other words, once a certain base occupancy rate is reached, almost every additional franc contributes to covering costs. These additional revenues are strategically particularly important for BDG AG, especially with regard to large investment projects such as the Schönried entry portal or the Hornberg-Horneggli project.In the subsequent discussion with the guests, it became clear that the functionality of the Magic Pass was of particular interest. How does it all add up, and can the participating ski resorts, regardless of size, truly benefit from it? The secret lies, on the one hand, in the large customer base, thanks to the various catchment areas targeted by the pass. On the other hand, the Magic Pass is not a "frequent skier pass"; the largest group of Magic Pass users doesn't spend every free day on the slopes – often the same ones. The issue of potential overcrowding in the area was also raised during the discussion. Philipp Becker, Head of Infrastructure for the municipality of Saanen, briefly addressed the traffic problems on peak days.

Analyses showed no direct correlation with the Magic Pass; rather, the driving force was hotel and restaurant guests. Philippe Marmet, a local councilor and representative of the Saanen-Schönried ski school, noted that the slopes were busier, which didn't bother him or his guests. He was far more concerned by the significantly lower visitor numbers in previous years. Thanks to the Magic Pass, the transformation in the Gstaad ski destination has begun, and the turnaround appears to have been achieved.

The event series berneroberland.dialog, organized by the Bernese Oberland Economic Development Corporation, aims to foster direct networking and stimulate exchange across various topics and regions. This informal series of events covers topics in economics, politics, culture, and education, and takes place in all regions and valleys of the Bernese Oberland.