Best Ski Resort Report - High Guest Satisfaction In The Top Ski Resorts In Austria

Last season, as part of the “Best Ski Resort” industry report, around 50,000 skiers in 54 ski areas in the Alps, directly on the slopes, were surveyed about their satisfaction in various categories and their decision-making criteria when choosing a winter sports region. Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis has the highest overall satisfaction in Austria (8.41 out of 10 possible points = top) and is therefore in second place across all countries - after Zermatt in Switzerland (8.47) and ahead of Kronplatz in South Tyrol (8.36). . Mayrhofen (8.18) can now be counted among the top 10 ski areas in the entire Alpine region for the first time.

For winter guests, the area size, snow reliability and slope quality remain the most important criteria when choosing a ski area. Ischgl made it into the top 10 in all three categories. The aspect of friendliness became significantly more important in the first winter after the Corona lockdowns. The category climbed to 4th place ahead of transport comfort. In Austria, winter sports enthusiasts at Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis and Mayrhofen attest to particularly friendly treatment of guests (2nd and 5th places). The highest increase in importance after snow reliability is recorded by the gastronomic offer. Zermatt, Val Gardena and Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis are convincing in this category - on the mountain (1-3rd place).

Good forecasts for the big ones

“After the Corona restrictions, people want to go skiing again. This is confirmed by the current booking figures for this winter. The mood in the industry is tense – there are many challenges that need to be overcome – but definitely positive,” says study author Mike Partel from Mountain Management Consulting. “Especially, of course, in the large ski areas that are considered snow-sure. Small and low-lying ski areas obviously have a hard time.” And that, despite increased prices and the corresponding decline in satisfaction with price performance (-6.4%).

Preferably lots of snow and few people

Looking at the 54 large ski areas included in the study, a steady increase in overall satisfaction was observed up to 2018, which has now declined slightly in the survey for the second time in a row. The reasons for this were difficult snow conditions at times and the resulting increasing level of filling in the larger regions with guaranteed snow. A trend that will continue to intensify due to climate change. The resulting high number of guests (so-called “overtourism”) is now viewed critically by 36.8% in Italy. An increase of 3.9 percentage points since 2018. The regions will have to find ways to keep the number of guests at a balanced level and to better distribute skiers within the area. In Switzerland, a value of 23% suggests that the slopes are much quieter. Austria is currently at 30.8%.

Austria scores highly when it comes to the most important decision criteria

The size of the ski area is the most important aspect when deciding on a winter sports resort. With Ischgl, Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, Lech Zürs am Arlberg and Saalbach-Hinterglemm-Leogang-Fieberbrunn, four Austrians can be found in the top 10.
Five Austrian ski areas also achieve top values ​​in the area of ​​snow reliability, which is becoming increasingly important: Stubaier Glacier, Gurgl, Obertauern (3-5th place), Ischgl (6) and Sölden (8). A similar picture emerges when it comes to transport comfort: with Ischgl, Stubaier Glacier, Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, Kitzbühel and Mayrhofen, five ski areas are in the top seven places. When it comes to price-performance for lift tickets, skiers in Austria feel particularly well cared for in Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis and Wildkogel (2nd and 5th place across the Alps).

Concentration pays off

The large winter sports resorts have massively expanded their offerings and invested a lot in this. Mergers of ski areas, faster and more transport capacities, expansion of snowmaking, investment in sustainability, and much more. It is noticeable that some regions focus particularly on selected target groups - thus successfully differentiating themselves from the strong competition and a clear brand profile is visible to guests: Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, for example, has consistently rated families with children the best since 2012 (the Wildkogel -Arena can look forward to a 5th place here for the first time). Sulden am Ortler has stood for value for money since 2012 and Laax is the mecca for fun and snowboard parks. They all maintained their top rankings in their respective categories since the data was collected.

Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis with the best values

They have once again confirmed their permanent place on the winner's podium of the top 3 ski areas in the Alps: Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis shines with excellent satisfaction ratings - across all categories - and underpins them with top 3 placements in the categories of friendliness (2), accommodation/hotel (3 ), gastronomic offerings on the mountain (3) and orientation in the ski area (2). Since 2012, the Tyroleans have also been ranked first in the children's/family offer category (with 8.63 points, ahead of Kronplatz with 8.22 and Aletsch Arena in Valais with 8.19 points).

Best Ski Resort 2023 – Top 10 overall satisfaction

1. Zermatt (CH)
2. Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis (A)
3. Kronplatz (I)
4. Val Gardena (I)
5. Livigno (I)
6. Aletsch Arena (CH)
7. Alta Badia (I)
8. Laax (CH)
9. Sulden am Ortler (I)
10. Mayrhofen (A)

Best Ski Resort 2023 – Top 5 decision criteria:

Criterion: Top 3 satisfaction ratings:

1. Ski area size
• Zermatt (CH)
• Alta Badia (I)
• Ischgl (A)
2. Snow reliability
• Sulden am Ortler (I)
• Zermatt (CH)
• Stubai Glacier (A)
3. Slope quality
• Zermatt (CH)
• Alta Badia (I)
• Val Gardena (I)
4. Kindness
• Sulden am Ortler (I)
• Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis (A)
• Arosa Lenzerheide (CH)
5. Convenience of transportation
• Zermatt (CH)
• Ischgl (A)
• Kronplatz (I)

Best Ski Resort Report

Since 2012, the consulting firm Mountain Management Consulting has been conducting guest surveys in 54 top ski regions in Austria, Italy, France and Switzerland as part of the “Best Ski Resort Report” in collaboration with the University of Innsbruck - on decision-making criteria and satisfaction in various categories. The survey takes place every two years and directly in the ski areas. Due to Corona, the last survey had to be postponed by a year. In the last ski season, 49,210 winter sports enthusiasts were surveyed. The industry report publishes the largest guest satisfaction study in the Alpine region. The immediate, neutral feedback primarily serves the regions for further development. The results also help skiers choose the winter sports resort that is best suited to them.

Background and methodology

Since winter 2012, around 275,000 skiers and snowboarders have been surveyed directly in the ski area as part of the Best Ski Resort report. The survey is carried out randomly by means of accompanied completion of the questionnaires. The given categories can be rated using a point scale from 1 = poor to 10 = top. Selection criteria for the regions' participation in the study are the level of popularity and size of the ski area, regional importance and number of overnight stays. For the current study, 49,210 winter sports enthusiasts were surveyed in the winter of 2022/2023.