Lower Austria Ski Areas Pass 550,000 Visits Mark

"In this winter season, the Lower Austrian ski areas have so far recorded around 550,000 visits. In view of the difficult general conditions, this is a good value. At the beginning of the season, there were still a number of corona restrictions and a travel warning from Germany as well as hurdles for Eastern European guests. Compared to the previous winter, 12 percent more guests were welcomed, although mostly only domestic visitors were on the slopes. Since the end of the semester break, around 140,000 guest entries have been added, which speaks for the continued good snow conditions and - due to the relatively low temperatures - consistently good slope conditions," says Tourism and Sports Councilor Jochen Danninger.

 

Hochkar ski area open until Easter Monday

For most of the winter season, the 2-G or 3-G rule applied when using the cable cars; since March 5, 2022, proof is no longer required. School events such as ski days or winter sports weeks have only been allowed again since February 21, 2022. "Fortunately, a number of schools were able to catch up on their winter sports activities in the last four weeks. In the coming week there will also be an opportunity at Semmering. Skiing on the Hochkar is planned until Easter Monday, April 18, 2022. In Annaberg, Lackenhof am Ötscher or Mönichkirchen-Mariensee the season ends next Sunday, so it's definitely worth taking another trip," appealed Provincial Councilor Jochen Danninger.

Compared to the 2018/2019 pre-Corona season, the holdings of ecoplus Alpin GmbH, five of the six most visited ski areas in Lower Austria, are currently down 24 percent in guest entries and 11 percent in sales. The difference in the decline can be explained primarily by the extensive cancellation of school events with cheaper group and youth rates.

 

St. Corona am Wechsel convinces with its online concept

The adventure arena St. Corona am Wechsel closed this winter season last Sunday, March 13, 2022. A total of 45,742 visits were achieved on 104 operating days – despite the decline in the school and group area. “Our guests have learned to appreciate the fact that they can book the lift ticket – but also other services such as ski rental and ski school – online in advance. We plan to stick with this system even after the pandemic because it increases safety and comfort - and we can direct the flow of visitors better, distribute them more evenly between mornings and afternoons and floodlight operation," says Karl Morgenbesser, Managing Director of the St. Corona adventure arena at the change.

“Lower Austria is a much-noticed pioneer when it comes to the use of digitization in ski areas and year-round mountain resorts. Our companies are not only well networked with each other in overcoming the corona crisis, but are already working together on new concepts for times after the pandemic," explains Provincial Councilor Jochen Danninger.

 

Ötscher lifts with a significant increase in visitors

The Ötscher lifts in Lackenhof am Ötscher will clearly surpass the result of the previous winter, because by the end of the season on Sunday, more than 70,000 guest entries will be achieved - this corresponds to an increase of 45 percent compared to 2020/2021. “Everyone at the location really tried very hard to get the best out of this winter season. Unfortunately, we will not be able to succeed from a business point of view. Because compared to the pre-Corona season 2018/2019, the Ötscher lifts are losing an above-average amount, in terms of guest entries we are talking about a minus of 37 percent, and in terms of sales of 29 percent. That's significantly more than in our other ski areas," says Markus Redl, Managing Director of ecoplus Alpin GmbH.

A separate "Taskforce Lackenhof 2.0" was set up at ecoplus Alpin GmbH to reposition Lackenhof am Ötscher as a tourist destination.

 

Community voting for "Der Ötscher rufing" completed

Almost 500 suggestions for the future of the tourist destination and living space of Lackenhof am Ötscher were submitted to the “Der Ötscher ruf” ideas competition. Until March 16, 2022, it was possible to register on the platform and evaluate the suggestions made. A total of 306 users took part, voting in 12,129 so-called battles (i.e. voting between two proposals). The community voting has thus been successfully completed. A specialist jury will meet in April, an information day with a presentation of the most important ideas will take place in May and the further process will be determined.

“The community's top rated proposals have a very strong focus on improving hospitality and lodging. But the expansion of the Ybbstal cycle path or specific offers such as hikes at sunrise also appear in the top 5. These are precisely the subject areas on which we are working in the task force – supported by external specialist expertise,” say Renate Rakwetz, mayor of the market town of Gaming (to which Lackenhof am Ötscher belongs), and Ralf Eisenhut, head of the Lackenhof 2.0 task force.