Sauerland Winter Sports Arena: The Energy Market And Sustainability Are The Greatest Challenges

The members of the Wintersport-Arena Sauerland discussed the high energy prices, opportunities of digitization as well as the findings and effects of the Corona period at their annual general meeting. Infrastructure, marketing and sustainability in the Oberstdorf-Kleinwalsertal ski area were the focus of the guest lecture.

The ski areas of the Sauerland winter sports arena are facing the third winter in a row without planning security. After the lockdown winter and the Corona winter with its many changing conditions, the lift operators now have to start the season with the uncertainty of high and fluctuating energy prices. Nevertheless, the ski areas are looking ahead full of energy.

The last few months have shown how important it is to have electricity from renewable energy sources. As early as 2009, the lift operators in Winterberg founded an energy cooperative that operates the photovoltaic park in the Remmeswiese. Other systems were built on the roofs of huts and functional buildings based on this model. Since last winter, the four largest ski areas in the region have been using only green electricity. These are important steps on the way to a climate-neutral winter sports arena. This goal is to be reached by 2030.

However, sustainability does not only concern the ecological sector. Other pillars are the social area and the economy. All three areas overlap and are dependent on each other. As early as 2013, 3,500 jobs in the region depended on winter sports. The ski areas often provide highly qualified and well-paid employment. People, especially children and young people, are introduced to healthy exercise in nature. The lockdown winter has shown. it is important to provide people with attractive, healthy and regulated leisure activities.

With all challenges there are also opportunities. The digital traffic control project AIR (AI-based Recommender) is making good progress. At the end of 2024, the recurring peaks in the flow of visitors are to be steered in a meaningful way for the first time.

The implementation of an online shop for cross-country skiing tickets was successful. Over 1,000 tickets were sold there last winter. The offer also had an impact on the cross-country ski club. He has gained around 100 new members. Apparently, these cross-country skiers use the opportunity to register online so that they don't have to buy a trail ticket for every visit. The presentation of the quality information in the online cross-country trail table should be improved in the upcoming season.

The winter sports arena Sauerland is already thinking about the time after the winter. The web portal is to be relaunched in the coming year.

Those present followed the lecture by Henrik Volpert from the board of directors of the Oberstdorf-Kleinwalsertaler Bergbahnen about infrastructure, marketing and sustainability with interest. As a native of Münsterland, Volpert almost had a “home game”. He was happy to speak to the "market leader", he emphasized - and he meant that without irony. The region has developed very well in recent years. This is exemplary in Germany. His presentation showed that development, opportunities and challenges in Oberstdorf-Kleinwalsertal are similar to those in the Sauerland winter sports arena.