Bergbahnen Dachstein West Merges With Dachstein Tourismus AG
State Councilor for Economic Affairs and Tourism Markus Achleitner / DAG Supervisory Board Chairman State Councilor Mag. Michael Lindner: “The new corporate structure now also reflects the umbrella brand Bergbahnen Dachstein Salzkammergut (BBDS) under corporate law.”
After the merger of the Bergbahnen Dachstein West, Dachstein Krippenstein, Feuerkogel and Grünberg under the brand umbrella of the Bergbahnen Dachstein Salzkammergut (BBDS), the owners are now also taking this step under corporate law. The Dachstein West mountain railways, which are owned by the Raiffeisenverband Salzburg on the Salzburg side, are merging with Dachstein Tourismus AG (DAG), which now runs all the cable cars and lifts in Gosau, Rußbach and Annaberg in addition to the cable cars at Krippenstein. The main owner of DAG remains the Oberösterreichische Seilbahnholding, which is owned by the state of Upper Austria. This also holds shares in the mountain railways on Feuerkogel and Grünberg.
“The last few months have proven how attractive the merger of the four mountain railways – Dachstein West, Dachstein Krippenstein, Feuerkogel and Grünberg – is among customers. Products such as the 'Naturally 365 Ticket', which allows customers to use all trains all year round, are extremely popular. For the guest, the whole is obviously more like the sum of its parts. However, this does not apply to the brand or the offer, but to the entire group of companies. We are sure that the corporate merger will release further synergies and sustainably strengthen the entire region in terms of tourism,” says Markus Achleitner, State Councilor for Economic Affairs and Tourism.
The chairman of the DAG supervisory board, regional councilor Mag. Michael Lindner, also takes the same line: “The mountain railways are one of the central tourist service providers in the Salzkammergut. What is unique is that with the merger they are no longer just opening up an area, but an entire region, 365 days a year. All in all, the offer is now highly attractive in both summer and winter and fits 100% into the modern all-year-round orientation of the mountain railways!”
In addition to the Oberösterreichische Seilbahn Holding with 67.6% and the Raiffeisenverband Salzburg with 14.19%, Salzwelten GmbH (10.03%) and ÖBf Beteiligungs GmbH (3.56%) also hold shares in the DAG. The remaining shares are in free float.
Bringing together what “belongs together”
This step was also long overdue for the Raiffeisen Association in Salzburg. “It is neither contemporary nor efficient for different companies to share operational tasks on a mountain. Management from a single source and the integration of tasks improve the quality of the offer for customers and reduce costs for the company. It was therefore natural for us to actively support this merger process and to form a future-proof ski area,” explains RVS board member Mag. Andreas Derndorfer, explaining the intention.
This is also supported by the state of Salzburg. “It is important to us that the mountain railway offering in the region is secured in the long term and that necessary investments are secured in the future. To achieve this, we have to join forces and that is why our efforts must not end at the national border. We have to think and develop the offer from Gmunden to Annaberg in an integrated manner. This task reflects the new corporate structure,” explains LH Deputy. Mag. Stefan Schnöll.
Focus on customer needs
For Rupert Schiefer – both CEO of the Oberösterreichische Seilbahnholding and board member of DAG – being able to meet customer needs even better and, above all, more efficiently in the future is the central purpose of the merger: “The merger enables us to now also be part of the company under corporate law a management team, so to speak, from a single source. The big advantage is the resulting synergies: central purchasing, integrated professional marketing across all offers, an HR department that takes care of all employee issues on all levels, an accounting and an IT department, etc. With the merger “New structures are emerging that make us more flexible, faster and more professional and give us the opportunity to act even more in tune with our customers’ pulse.”
Bergbahnen Dachstein Salzkammergut
As the largest tourist company in the region, the Bergbahnen Dachstein Salzkammergut welcomes around 1 million guests every year at the locations Grünberg in Gmunden, Feuerkogel in Ebensee, Dachstein Krippenstein in Obertraun and in the Dachstein West region with the towns of Gosau, Rußbach & Annaberg. The total offering of the Bergbahnen Dachstein Salzkammergut includes 31 cable cars and lifts as well as 14 children's rope lifts and conveyor belts, 106 kilometers of slopes, well over 350 kilometers of hiking trails and 7 via ferratas as well as a summer toboggan run. Are in season
