Munich (dpa/lby) – The German ski and winter sports areas in Bavaria and the low mountain ranges are hoping for a large crowd in the first season without corona restrictions since the beginning of the pandemic. The board of directors of the VDS cable car association expressed its optimism on Tuesday in Munich, despite the expected recession and general mood of crisis in the economy. Many people feel the need “for a break from all the madness,” said association chairman Matthias Stauch, the main job head of the Zugspitzbahnen in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
In addition, the cable car operators expect a catch-up effect with potential guests who stayed away last season due to corona concerns and restrictions. In the Allgäu, for example, advance bookings are “excellent,” reported Henrik Volpert, CEO of the Oberstdorf Kleinwalsertal cable car company, citing talks with the local hoteliers and ski schools. The crisis and cost explosion have existed since the beginning of the Ukraine war. “The summer went extremely well for the Bavarian mountain railways and lifts as well as for the German companies.”
According to Stauch, ticket prices will increase by an average of ten percent for adults and eight percent for children. There will therefore be no restrictions in operation, no snow cannons or even closures of cable cars and lifts due to energy prices in Germany.
However, cable car operators are also trying to save energy and costs. In heated chairlifts, for example, the seats will usually remain unheated – however, these modern chairlifts are not widespread either in Bavaria or in the low mountain ranges further north. Many will also try to use snow more sparingly on their slopes.
Compared to the much larger competition in Austria or Switzerland, the domestic winter sports areas live mainly from day visitors from their own neighborhood and not from winter holidaymakers who travel from greater distances. According to Zugspitzbahn boss Stauch, one possible consequence of the rise in prices this year could be that guests do without winter holidays lasting several days and instead go on weekend trips.