Schilthorn Financials 2023: Another Successful Year Despite Intensive Construction Work

Schilthornbahn AG can once again look back on a successful financial year - despite major construction work on a total of four cable car stations: the number of visitors to the cable car is 19.2 percent above the previous year and a full 13.7 percent above the five-year average. It becomes clear that the increase can primarily be attributed to the summer months. But the 2022/2023 winter season also contributed to this increase: Thanks to consistently good snow conditions at higher altitudes, the season from the first weekend in November to the end of April lasted the same length as in the previous year at 159 days, which led to consistently high frequencies at the winter sports facilities. Only 2.3 percent had to be lost compared to the previous year. On a five-year average, the numbers are up 15 percent.

All catering establishments exceed the best values ​​from the previous year

The strong frequencies once again had a positive effect on the catering establishments. The 360° restaurant Piz Gloria enjoyed great demand from guests from Switzerland and Europe, but also from abroad. An increase was recorded particularly in guests from the USA and Southeast Asia. The number of visitors from Korea and the Arabian region also developed positively. In the second half of the year, the company was even able to welcome guests from China again. Sales in the revolving restaurant increased by a further 15 percent compared to 2022. At the same time, the sales threshold of 4 million francs was exceeded for the first time. Sales at Bistro Birg also increased by 15 percent to over 800,000 francs.

In the first half of the year, the business was run on an interim basis by the hostess of the Panorama Restaurant Allmendhubel, Ursula Zwald, before Hans-Joschi Vejic took over management in June. Under his leadership, calm has returned at staff level, which has had a positive impact on operations and demand. Despite the double burden of managing two businesses in the meantime, Zwald was able to continue the remarkable development in the Panorama Restaurant Allmendhubel with her well-coordinated team and exceed sales of more than one million francs for the first time. This means that in 2023, with an increase of 20 percent compared to the previous year, the highest sales since records began were achieved. The positive numbers are also reflected in the statistics of the Mürren-Allmendhubel funicular: In both summer and winter, frequencies increased by almost 30 and 25 percent respectively compared to the previous year.

Hotel Alpenruh and shops characterized by the SCHILTHORNBAHN 20XX renovation

The Hotel Alpenruh in Mürren has seen a decline in accommodation. This is solely due to the use of the hotel as construction workers' accommodation. In the restaurant, however, income was still increased. The Hotel Blumental was able to continue its upward trend under the renewed management of Marco Froese. The income from overnight stays as well as in the restaurant and in the Bliemlichäller was doubled, which meant that the best values ​​from previous years were achieved again. Since March 2023, a temporary Skyline Shop & Bar in the former breakfast room has been supplementing the hotel operations in Blumental during the construction period of the SCHILTHORNBAHN 20XX. This change of location meant that the limit of two million francs could not be reached in the Merchandising & Shops division. Both the new, less frequented location in Mürren and the shop space on the Schilthorn, which was reduced by around 35 percent due to construction, caused a total decline in sales of 14 percent compared to the previous year.

First outlook 2024

The construction of the SCHILTHORNBAHN 20XX once again plays a central role in the year that has just begun. After the construction of the three new supports is completed in 2023, the focus this year will be on the construction of the stations. Sections 1 (Stechelberg-Mürren) and 2 (Mürren-Birg) will be opened at the end of the year. Furthermore, various additional construction projects will be realized this year, such as the expansion of the Winteregg chairlift with 17 additional canopy chairs (Schilthornbahn AG has reported). With the 80th International Inferno Races and the freestyle events Whitestyle Open and SWATCH Nines, top-class events are once again coming up. The general meeting of Schilthornbahn AG will take place in Mürren on Friday, June 21, 2024.