Research Shows German Tourists Are At The Forefront Of Ski Rentals

For over 80% of Austrians, skiing is a valuable cultural asset that must also be preserved for future generations, according to one of the central statements of the INTERSPORT Ski Report[1]. That's a good thing, because Austria is still one of the most popular winter holiday destinations for Germans. Every second German customer of INTERSPORT Rent enjoys traveling light and rents ski equipment on site. More and more people are resorting to renting ski clothing.

The winter season has already opened in some cases, and it is starting these days in many ski areas in Austria. Perfectly prepared slopes, hearty hut fun and exercise in the fresh air - that's winter sport - and it's firmly rooted in Austria. 81% see skiing as an Austrian cultural asset. “Even with challenges like climate change, future generations must have the chance to learn to ski and enjoy being active in nature,” Thorsten Schmitz, Managing Director of INTERSPORT Austria, is convinced.

But individual ski equipment costs money. The demand for ski equipment to rent is therefore still increasing. Every second customer at INTERSPORT Rent comes from Germany, which puts the Germans at the top. “The added value of rental has arrived. This is also shown by the doubling of sales in the last ten years. Our RENT business increased by 37% over the previous year alone and we expect double-digit sales growth again for the coming season,” Schmitz continued. The demand for INTERSPORT Rent from German and Dutch guests is also constantly increasing. Austria is still the most popular winter sports country. This is also confirmed by the current potential study by Austria Advertising and predicts increasing demand for winter holidays in Austria among our neighbors in Germany and the Netherlands. Germany is the second largest ski nation in the world with around 15 million skiers and snowboarders.

The advantages of INTERSPORT Rent are obvious: Children up to 10 years old can rent their winter sports equipment for free if their parents also use the rental range. Young people up to 14 years only pay half price. The adapted equipment can be picked up the day before so that the entire day can be used on the slopes and there is no unpleasant waiting. “We see a very practical and sustainable model here. Traveling by train without a lot of luggage and making optimal use of your ski equipment is certainly the right step into the future,” says Thorsten Schmitz. For two seasons now, ski clothing for women, men and children has been offered on the online booking platform www.intersportrent.at. The rental clothing is the high-quality product line from Schöffel that ski schools, clubs and associations also use. After each return, all ski clothing is carefully cleaned and impregnated. “The demand for rental ski clothing is increasing rapidly. I am convinced that in ten years it will be completely normal to borrow ski jackets and trousers alongside your skis, boots and poles,” concludes Schmitz.

[1] IMAS International, online panel, n=1,350. Representative quotas for age, gender (crossed) and region were set for the Austrian population aged 16 to 69 years. May 2023.