Switzerland- In another good sign for Switzerland’s ski industry, visitation was at a near record high for last winter.
In an August report published by Swiss Cable Cars (SBS), the trade group found that it was the country’s strongest ski season in years. Fifteen years in fact. The 2024-25 ski season saw an estimated 26.3 million skier days, a 13.7% increase over the five-year average. This was despite the fact that it wasn’t the snowiest, with lower-than-average snow coverage and warm weather. On the other hand, this warmth led to sunny weather, which attracted people to the slopes. Ski lift revenue also hit a record high.
Also notable was a drastic increase in visitation at lower-elevation ski areas. While conditions were inconsistent at lower elevations, visitation was high when there was snow. Perhaps the recent closures of some small European ski areas have sparked interest among locals to support their local ski stations. This data came from 174 operators that operate a total of 153 ski resorts.
The top five ski resorts in terms of attendance were Zermatt, Jungfrauregion, Davos Klosters, Arosa Lenzerheide, and Verbier.
Now, work is underway on getting ready for the 2025-26 season. The only ski resorts currently offering lift-serviced skiing are Zermatt and Saas-Fee. Other resorts are scheduled to reopen to skiers in the months ahead.
Swiss Cable Cars is a trade association with around 350 members, which operates lifts across the country. You can read the reports by Swiss Cable Cars here.
Image Credits: Patrick Robert Doyle, Swiss Cable Cars, Nina-loreena
Related
Get the latest snow and mountain lifestyle news and entertainment delivered to your inbox.
