Swiss cable cars post positive season despite cold July

Ski lifts, positive season despite cold July Keystone-SDA

Despite the not always favourable weather in July, the summer season is proving to be a positive one for lifts in Switzerland.

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According to figures released today by the Swiss Cable Car Association (SBS), in the period from the beginning of May to the end of July, the number of passengers rose by 9% compared to the same months in 2024 at national level, despite a 3% drop in the seventh month of the year.

In comparison with the average of the last five years, an even higher growth of 27% was recorded: a figure that must, however, be put into perspective by taking into account the two years of the pandemic, which led to restrictions and even long interruptions in operations.

However, regional differences remain important. In comparison with 2024, the greatest increase was observed in the Vaud and Fribourg Alps (+27%); the Bernese Oberland shows +14%, Ticino +8% and Valais +6%, while Graubünden remains at a standstill (0%). Compared to the long-term average, the Bernese Oberland (+61%) and Central Switzerland (+42%) stand out, while Ticino makes little progress (+4%) and Graubünden even scores a negative value of -10%.

“The summer season shows how dependent the industry is on nature and weather conditions,” commented SBS Director Berno Stoffel, quoted in a statement. “The industry faces the second half of the summer with optimism: experience shows that, if the weather is favourable, even in the months of August to October it is possible to expect many guests in the mountains.”

Swiss Cable Car Association has around 350 members from every region of the country, including all the large and medium-sized companies in the branch, but also many smaller ones. The association represents the common concerns and interests of its members and promotes their cooperation. The organisation is based in Bern and also runs a training centre in Meiringen in the Bernese Oberland.

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Translated from Italian by DeepL/jdp

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