Swiss cable car activity rose in winter 2023-2024
In the winter season up to the end of April 2024, railway and cable car operators ferried 3% more visitors compared to the previous winter, and 5% more than the five-year average.
The snow in November followed by conditions over Christmas, the New Year and in January laid a strong foundation for operations, the Swiss cable car association said on Wednesday.
While warm weather in February and March affected lower-lying ski resorts, snow at the end of March and in April brought new momentum to higher altitude areas.
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According to the association, there were major regional differences in fortunes, depending on weather conditions. The mountains around Fribourg, with their medium-altitude ski areas, recorded a 31% drop in visitors, while the Jura mountain range saw a 26% drop. Eastern Switzerland recorded the greatest growth at 9%. The season in the southern canton of Ticino was saved by the snow in March, meaning that the decline was only 1%.
In terms of company size, larger cable car operators with a turnover of over CHF20 million ($22 million) grew more strongly than smaller ones. Their number of guests rose by 5%, while companies with a turnover of less than CHF2 million fell by 35%. However, the larger companies are also at higher altitudes, the association explained.
Adapted from German by DeepL/dkk/dos
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