Bergbahnen Malbun Seeks To Insure Long Term Investment Viability
At its meeting the Government of Lichtenstein adopted the report and proposal concerning the granting of investment cost contributions to Bergbahnen Malbun Aktiengesellschaft for the years 2025 to 2028 and a contribution to the construction of photovoltaic systems.
Bergbahnen Malbun is the actual ski area of Malbun village and is serviced by three chair lifts: two on the western slope area and one on the eastern slope area. At the top of Bergbahn Malbun's eastern lift, the alpine ridges of Switzerland and Austria can be seen. At the slope area's base are two children's areas. Malbi Park is the learning area for children that is provided at no cost and includes a miniature tow-bar as well as a magic carpet. The other area is primarily the location of Malbun's ski school instruction and is located a short distance further from the main ski area
Mandate from the state parliament in 2022
On June 3, 2022, the report and application for the further development of the Malbun/Steg local recreation area and the future direction and renovation of the Malbun mountain railways were discussed in the state parliament. In the course of this, a moderate (tourist) further development of the Malbun/Steg destination was approved. The renovation was successfully completed at the end of 2022 and the mountain railways have been in the black since the 2022/2023 financial year. Despite the renovation, however, the mountain railways have an annual structural deficit that has to be covered by the public sector.
Long-term financing of the structural deficit
According to a resolution passed by the state parliament in June 2022, the annual structural deficit of the mountain railways of around CHF 900,000 is to be covered in the long term with a state contribution of CHF 650,000 per year (approx. 70%) and a contribution from the Triesenberg municipality of CHF 250,000 per year (approx. 30%). The funds to be provided by the municipality are in turn to be collected with the help of a new second home tax. It is also planned to use the second home tax to co-finance other measures such as the professionalization of the mountain tourism organization. Since the conditions for collecting the second home tax must first be created by the legislature, the state has covered the entire structural deficit for 2023 and 2024.
Second home tax law and tourism organization are delayed
There are still open questions regarding the implementation of the second home tax law and the financing of the mountain tourism organization, which are being clarified by the government, the municipality of Triesenberg and the tourism service providers. It should also be ensured that any constitutional concerns regarding the second home tax can be eliminated. Due to the complexity of the issues, implementation is no longer possible in this legislative period.
Multi-year financial resolution and co-financing of photovoltaic systems
The government therefore proposes that, in order to ensure the long-term investment capacity of the Malbun cable cars, the state should take over the agreed financing share of the municipality of Triesenberg in the amount of CHF 250,000 for two more years. Accordingly, it is requesting a multi-year financial resolution for CHF 900,000 each for the years 2025 and 2026 and for CHF 650,000 each for the years 2027 and 2028. The government is also requesting a one-off investment cost contribution of CHF 50,000 for the realization of three photovoltaic systems. The government is thus fulfilling another mandate from the state parliament.
Malbun is the only resort for skiing in Liechtenstein. It is located at 1,600 metres (5,249 feet) above sea level in the Alps, on a road to Steg and Vaduz, and less than two kilometers from the Austrian border. In 1968, five Swiss artillery shells accidentally hit it, damaging a few chairs that were sitting outdoors.
