Styrian Slope Quality Seal 2024 Goes To Eight Ski Resorts
The award, known as the “Oscar of winter tourism,” honors selected small and large Styrian ski resorts for their outstanding safety and quality standards. This year, eight ski resorts received the Styrian piste quality seal.
The Styrian piste quality seal is a true flagship for winter sports in Styria. A ski resort that is awarded this "Oscar" is a top destination and a guarantee of the highest quality standards, as Fabrice Girardoni, chairman of the cable car specialist group in the Styrian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, emphasizes: "The seal stands for safe and optimally prepared pistes, modern infrastructure and comprehensive safety measures. This award is an asset for tourism in the respective region, because it strengthens the trust of guests who rely on safety and top quality when choosing their ski resort."
Josef Herk, President of the Styrian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who presented the award together with Girardoni and the Chairman of the Piste Quality Seal Commission, Thomas Weihs, as well as National Councillor Daniela Gmeinbauer (representing State Councillor for Economic Affairs Barbara Eibinger-Miedl) on 13 November on the Schlossberg in Graz, is convinced that winter sports enthusiasts are in the best hands in Styria. "The Styrian cable cars not only stand for top quality in winter sports, they are also an important economic stimulus and employer in many regions, generating 420 million euros in added value per year through tourism and trade-specific consumption effects," said Herk.
Awarded: These are the eight Oscar winners
Gaaler Lifte – Skiing where world champions train
The Gaal lifts offer a special skiing experience, which is particularly impressive due to the "FUNTASTIC Slope": a slope that impresses with sleek steep curves, jumps, waves and a giant roundabout with a tunnel passage. Interactive elements and funny characters guarantee additional fun. For adrenaline junkies, there is even night skiing on offer - in a romantic atmosphere, skiers and snowboarders enjoy the experience on freshly prepared slopes. Another highlight is the "Schi GaalaXie", the most innovative children's land and beginners' area, where endless opportunities for skiing and snowboarding are offered on 2 hectares. A 60m long conveyor belt takes you comfortably to lofty heights, and the "living room" on the slope offers a cozy rest area for a well-deserved break.
Galsterbergalm Bahnen – Galsterberg, the adventure mountain
Just 20 minutes from Schladming, the Galsterberg offers a wide range of winter sports opportunities. With its 5 modern cable cars and lifts, including the ultra-modern 10-person gondola, the ski area guarantees fun on the slopes on 15 km of slopes. The 5 km long toboggan run is particularly impressive and provides lots of fun both during the day and at night. The "Galstiland", a Gallic ski village, offers children games and fun, while three fun runs delight both young and old skiers. Thanks to extensive investments, such as the completion of the Pirklalm ski overpass and a new photovoltaic system at the valley station, the ski area is committed to sustainable action. The use of HVO in piste machines reduces CO2 emissions by 90%, and the innovative snow management ensures optimal piste conditions. Investments were also made in the infrastructure in summer to further improve the skiing experience.
Lachtal lifts and cable cars – Lachtal legendary
The home of World Cup winner Nici Schmidhofer, the Lachtal is known for its high alpine character and the vastness of the ski area. At up to 2,222 meters above sea level, the Lachtal offers 36 km of slopes and ski routes that are a paradise for both beginners and advanced skiers. The mountain station of the "Zinkenlift" is the highest lift station in Styria. In addition to the romantic high-altitude trail at 1,600 meters, guests can enjoy the popular toboggan run and the traditional ski hut atmosphere. The "Children's Lachtal" is a highlight for the little ones: With a baby lift, magic carpet and the "Wild Lachtal" adventure course, where children meet animals such as deer and Bambi, it offers an exciting ski adventure. The Lachtal has received the highest recognition through international awards such as the International Piste Quality Seal in Gold and several trophies in the field of snowmaking and piste preparation. In 2024, “skiresort.de” once again named the Lachtal as the leading ski area in the “insider tip” category – a well-deserved honor for a ski area that focuses on tradition and quality.
Lobmingtal – Small but mighty: family-friendly skiing fun
The ski area in the Lobmingtal belongs to the municipality and offers ideal conditions for families and beginners with a drag lift and a children's rope lift. The winter season starts on December 16, 2024, and the ski area invites everyone who wants to enjoy skiing in a relaxed and family atmosphere. The short journey is particularly attractive, making the Lobmingtal a popular destination for locals and guests. The free children's lift is a highlight for families who want to give their little ones their first glimpse of the world of skiing.
In addition to the slopes, there is an ice skating rink and a bobsleigh rental service, which provide variety. The Lobming Valley offers an all-round experience for the whole family - far away from the hustle and bustle of the large ski areas. In order to always guarantee the best conditions, a lot of investment has been made in snowmaking. This means that guests can count on consistently good slope conditions. The municipality aims to keep the ski area fit for the future and to give everyone the opportunity to learn and enjoy skiing. This also includes special experiences such as night skiing, which offers visitors a romantic winter sports experience under the starry sky.
Planai-Hochwurzen-Bahnen – Standards in Innovation and Sustainability
From December 2024, the Planai-Hochwurzen cable cars will set new standards with the redesign of the Planai West valley station building and the new 10-person "Rohrmoos I" gondola lift. This modern cable car with a transport capacity of 2,300 people per hour ensures maximum passenger comfort thanks to 30 panoramic gondolas. Skis and snowboards can be comfortably carried in the gondolas, which makes getting on and off much easier, especially for families. In addition to the cable car, the newly designed "Planai West" valley station building will create another winter sports center that offers modern infrastructure with a bar, a sports shop and ski depots. Thanks to its proximity to Schladming train station, it is easily accessible for day visitors. Another highlight of the area is the completely renovated Dachstein mountain station. Under the motto "Energy Crystal", the focus here is on sustainability: 80% of the energy requirement can be covered by a photovoltaic system. In addition, the mountain station offers spectacular experiences with a stylish glacier restaurant, the new “sky bar” and several viewing platforms that provide visitors with unforgettable views of the Dachstein.
Planneralm – Authentic winter experience on natural snow
At 1,600 to 2,200 meters, the Planneralm offers a unique winter experience away from mass tourism. With over 100 hectares for skiers and freeriders looking for winter adventures close to nature, the Planneralm is known for its snow reliability and focus on natural snow, which ensures optimal piste conditions from the preseason to Easter. For the coming season, the Planner Alpenhof will open with 80 beds, a restaurant and umbrella bar right on the piste. The Ewishütte is also a new place to stop for a cozy break. The Planneralm remains an insider tip for anyone looking for a quiet, nature-loving winter holiday. Families and freeriders can enjoy authentic skiing here, far away from the hustle and bustle.
Salzstiegl: Family paradise for young and old
For over 30 years, the Salzstiegl ski area in western Styria has been delighting winter sports fans of all ages and has specialized entirely in the needs of families. With its family-friendly area and a central starting point, children can even travel safely and independently here without parents having to worry. On the 12 kilometers of slopes, Salzstiegl offers a variety of options for beginners and advanced skiers, from the dwarf lift to the magic carpet to more challenging routes. A new addition is the 2 km long toboggan run, which is illuminated at night on Fridays and Saturdays. The "Toboggan Express" takes guests quickly and comfortably to the start of the toboggan run. With the newly installed Skidata ticket system, ski passes can now be conveniently booked online, without queues on site. The offer is complemented by two newly renovated bowling alleys. Salzstiegl is also setting standards in terms of sustainability: another wind turbine is planned for next year, which, together with the existing wind turbine and a photovoltaic system, will provide a large part of the electricity - a contribution to environmentally friendly skiing fun!
Stuhleck cable cars
The Stuhleck ski area in Spital am Semmering is the largest ski area in eastern Austria with its 26 km of slopes and 12 lifts. The wide selection of easy to intermediate slopes and a spacious children's area make the ski area particularly family-friendly and offer ideal conditions for beginners too. A highlight is the five-kilometer-long natural toboggan run, which is designed with the mascot Semmi and his friends, which is an attraction especially for children. The Stuhleck app is new: it gives ski guests exclusive benefits such as discounts and special offers. A particularly practical function shows the capacity of the lifts in real time to avoid waiting times and use the slopes efficiently. The app also offers an interactive piste map with live position so that groups can easily find each other while on the move. Other functions include current weather information, webcams and the status of the lifts and slopes, so that all the information for the perfect day of skiing is always at hand.
The Styrian piste quality seal: certified quality
The Styrian piste quality seal is an award for ski resorts in Styria that meet high safety and quality standards. It was launched in 1998 and currently recognizes 27 ski resorts. The seal is awarded by an expert commission from the Styrian Chamber of Commerce, with the focus on safety, piste maintenance and modern infrastructure.
In order for a ski resort to receive the seal of quality, it must pass a strict inspection. This includes regular piste maintenance, safety measures such as piste rescue and first aid facilities, as well as modern snowmaking technology. The marking and signage of the pistes is also closely monitored. A key goal is to promote smaller ski resorts in particular so that they can continue to offer children and beginners safe conditions.
