Winter Sports Of The Future: Media Day In Gurgl Sets Clear Course Markers
We don't have to reinvent winter, but we do have to adapt to new conditions - that was the tenor of exciting media discussions that took place in the run-up to the World Cup races at the Carat Congress Center in Gurgl/Ötztal. The course for winter sports had long been set and was moving between innovation, sustainability and the eternal emotion of winter sports. Just in time for the future-oriented debates, snow began to fall in the Ötztaler Gurgl, creating perfect conditions for the upcoming race weekend.
The media day was all about change and brought together experts for TV discussion rounds and podcasts with leading media such as ORF Sport +, the Tiroler Tageszeitung, the largest German weather platform wetter.com and Joyn's 4GAMECHANGERS format. Under the motto "Winter sports can shape the future", the prominent guests addressed the challenges of winter sports: from climate change to social changes to the prospects for alpine racing. It became clear that the future of winter sports requires creative solutions, bold innovations and a clear course towards sustainability.
It is about sustainable strategies and adaptations
Hubert Siller (MCI Tourism) made it clear: "Global warming is a fact, but we will still be able to ski in the future. So it's not about reinventing winter, but about technological change, sustainable strategies and adaptations." The current mountain sports study has shown that there are numerous snow experts who ski more than 10 times a season. There is also a great potential of people who like to exercise, but for whom active recreation, relaxation and experiencing nature are the most important things.
The opening discussion in Obergurgl with Hubert Siller (MCI Tourism), Thomas Schroll (Freizeitticket Tirol), Lena Öller (Protect Our Winters), Karin Seiler (Managing Director of Tirol Werbung) and former ski racer Thomas Dreßen on the effects of climate change and necessary adjustments in the industry summed up the experts' views: "We must face reality and make winter sports fit for the future - before winter runs away from us."
Karin Seiler highlighted the continued great appeal of winter sports: "84 percent of Tyrolean winter guests are looking for an active winter sports holiday." Skiing remains by far the most important holiday motive, with enjoyment, regeneration and culinary delights becoming more important. The price and booking monitoring developed by Tirol Werbung is currently even showing a small increase in demand compared to last winter. "Winter sports remain popular with locals too. Sales of combined tickets such as the Tirol Leisure Ticket have even increased this year," emphasized Thomas Schroll.
However, with a view to climate and social change, the tourism industry has already made adjustments on many levels. Joint efforts towards sustainability are great, and initiatives are numerous: Tyrol on rails, regions such as Seefeld and Kufstein bear the Austrian Ecolabel, and Tyrolean cable cars run on green electricity.
And throughout all discussions it became clear: the key to ecological development lies in mobility, because the emissions from arrival and departure cause 70% of the emissions – calculated over an entire day of skiing.
Therefore, says Seiler, we are pushing for "Tyrol on Rails". But public transport must be made much more convenient in the future, and products, services and infrastructure must be improved.
When innovation meets sustainability
Afterwards, experts and visionaries met in the Joyn 4GAMECHANGERS TV studio to discuss the future of winter sports with a focus on "innovation and sustainability". Moderator Verena Schneider steered the conversation through exciting topics related to technological innovations, sustainable use of resources and future-proof solutions for alpine skiing. Guests included Roswitha Stadlober (ÖSV President), Theresa Haid (tourist and sustainability expert), Benjamin Kneisl (Chairman of Ötztal Tourism and Chairman of the Association of Tyrolean Tourism Associations), Thomas Dreßen and Michi Freymann (SPURart professional self-made ski).
Sparking enthusiasm for winter sports among families
The wetter.com podcast entitled "Between weather vagaries and price wars - how affordable are winter sports today?" was dedicated to the financial challenges of winter sports. Moderator Daniela Kreck (wetter.com) and her guests, including Michaela Burger (Bergbahnen Hochötz), Reinhard Klier (cable car spokesman Tirol), Mike Partel (initiator KIDS ON SKI), Denise Seiling (meteorologist wetter.com) and Lena Öller (Protect Our Winters), discussed how rising costs for ski passes, equipment and sustainable infrastructure affect the accessibility of winter sports. Here too, the tenor was clear: we must continue to succeed in getting families and especially children excited about winter sports - affordable entry-level offers would be crucial here.
“World Cup Talk” and exciting insights into the upcoming Ski World Championships
The crowning conclusion of the media day was the ORF Sport + Talk "The Winter Sports Talk - insights into the Ski World Cup and outlooks on the Ski World Championships in Austria". Moderator Fred Lentsch welcomed prominent guests such as Mario Stecher (ÖSV sports director), Alban Scheiber (managing director of the Hochgurgler lift company, head of the GURGL Ski World Cup), Jack Falkner (managing director of the Sölden cable cars and head of the SÖLDEN Ski World Cup), Franziska Gritsch (ÖSV ski racer), Martina Ertl (former German ski racer) and the Norwegian ski star Aleksander Aamodt Kilde. The experts and ski stars gave exciting insights into the current World Cup season and took a look at the upcoming World Championships in Salzburg.
It is always an emotional highlight when the world elite compete in the Ötztal – the World Cup piste is in absolutely top condition, said Alban Scheiber, head of the OK of the races in the Ötztaler Gurgl.
Media day as a successful start to the World Cup races in Gurgl
The media day was a fitting start to the World Cup races in Gurgl and offered valuable ideas and perspectives for winter sports of the future. The successful day not only made a sporting statement, but also underlined the importance of innovation and sustainability in an industry that is constantly facing new challenges.
