Styrian ski study

“Without cable cars, some valleys will be in the dark”

Last winter, there were 3.7 million ski days in Styria.

(Bild: Steiermark Tourismus / ikarus.cc)

High ticket prices, lots of artificial snow: every year, cable car companies have a lot of explaining to do. With a study, they now want to prove how important the winter sports industry is for the Styrian economy. For some regions, it is even essential for survival.

Styrian cable car companies spent more than 100 million euros on infrastructure such as gondola lifts and snowmaking systems this year. "These investments are vital for the regions," emphasizes Oliver Käfer, Managing Director of the Chamber of Commerce's ropeway specialist group. In order to back up this statement with facts, a study was commissioned from the Institute for Economic and Location Development.

According to the study, a total of 1,300 people are employed to keep the more than 200 white-green cable cars running. "This shows what a massive job engine our companies are," emphasizes Fabrice Girardoni (Stuhleck), head of the specialist group. Around 6900 jobs in various sectors are linked to the ropeway industry.

Study author Robert Steinegger, cable car chairman Fabrice Giradoni, Provincial Councillor for Economic Affairs Barbara Eibinger-Miedl, deputy chairman of the sports trade Harald Scherz and Hans Spreitzhofer, chairman of the tourism and leisure industry (from left).

(Bild: Helmut Lunghammer)

Sports retail and tourism benefit
In the previous season, there were 3.7 million "ski days" in Styria, i.e. first-time visitors to the ski resorts. "This results in 2.5 million overnight stays per year. Almost every second overnight stay in winter is due to skiing," explains Styrian tourism chairman Johann Spreitzhofer.

According to the study, the regional sporting goods trade also benefits enormously, with a turnover of 100 million euros: no less than 60 percent of total turnover is generated in the months from January to March! In addition, there are 75 winter sports schools with 1700 ski instructors who teach 40,000 children per year. And the investments in infrastructure also benefit sectors such as mechanical engineering and the construction industry.

According to the authors of the study, the cable cars generate a total of 420 million euros in added value per year in Styria. Spreitzhofer: "Without cable cars, none of this would exist!" The ski resorts are particularly vital for regions such as the Enns Valley. Käfer puts it clearly: "The study shows that without cable cars, some valleys will be in the dark."

The study

• "For this assessment of the regional economic impact of cable car investments, we used a value creation model from Joanneum Research that was specially adapted for Styria as a business location," reports Robert Steinegger(Institute for Economic and Location Development).
• Using this value creation model, the experts calculated the positive economic and regional economic effects of the investments made by the cable car industry. Data from the market research institute Monava was used to illustrate the consumption effects and subjected to a plausibility check.

At the presentation of the study on Monday, Tourism Minister Barbara Eibinger-Miedl (ÖVP) announced that the "Hochweiß" funding campaign will be continued in 2025. This supports small and medium-sized ski and cross-country ski areas with investments. A maximum of 20 percent of the total costs (up to an investment amount of 500,000 euros) will be funded. In the past two years, a total of 41 projects were supported with 11.3 million euros.