Study For Austrian, German & Swiss Lift Co’s Shows: Growing Demand For Skiing In Important Target Markets
On behalf of the Association of Cable Cars of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, the Swiss Cable Cars and the Association of German Cable Cars and Drag Lifts (VDS), MANOVA GmbH surveyed around 3,000 people on the current mood regarding demand for winter sports. The pleasing result: Despite a slump during the Corona crisis, winter sports enthusiasts have not been lost, on the contrary - they are increasingly returning to the slopes. "Especially in our important home market of Germany, there is a particularly positive mood of demand, which is mainly justified by the attributes for winter sports as 'healthy' and 'cool'," says Franz Hörl, chairman of the WKÖ specialist association of cable cars.
The view of non-skiers is also positive. Seven percent of them state that they definitely want to start winter sports in the current season. For comparison: In the last survey in 2016 it was only three percent. In addition, there is an increase in the image values for winter sports, which are largely based on the desire to exercise in nature and the health-promoting effect. Overall, the mood at the beginning of the season is at the pre-crisis level, as a comparison of holiday plans for winter sports with previous years makes clear. The biggest demand constraint is and remains inflation and the associated impact on disposable income. “However, this does not automatically translate into a rejection of skiing. There is only a shift in the trend towards more day trips and shorter vacation times. However, the vast majority of winter sports enthusiasts would like to remain active this season, but with increased use of cost-saving measures. Many of those questioned stated that they wanted to spend less money on site," says MANOVA Managing Director Klaus Grabler.
Demand increased by ten percent in five winters
In the last five winters before Corona, skiing was a product of success: both overnight stays in mountain regions in the DA-CH area and first-time entries to the mountain railways went up continuously. Overall, demand rose by around ten percent from winter 2013/14 to winter 2018/19. The approximately 14.6 million alpine winter sports enthusiasts in the three markets (over 14 years of age, plus around 1.5 million children under the age of 14) were then allowed, caused by the corona pandemic (especially in winter 2020/21), only very limited on the slopes. Last winter 2021/22, however, almost 85% of the demand from before was achieved in the DA-CH region, with Switzerland even being able to increase and the restrictions in Austria causing the biggest minus. "With the protective measures no longer being taken, the industry can now score again with a full range of services without restrictions. Even in Austria, which acted more restrictively than neighboring countries during the pandemic, this should lead to a return of those skiers who stayed away from the slopes during Corona," says Grabler, summarizing the positive outlook for the coming winter.
