Tourism Swiss cable cars draw "cautiously positive" summer balance
The Swiss cable car industry is "cautiously positive" about the summer season. The number of guests fell by seven percent compared to the previous year due to unstable weather. However, this figure rose by five percent compared to the five-year average.
08.11.2024, 08:15
SDA
Mountain railroads, which mainly rely on domestic guests, suffered most from the long periods of bad weather. This was announced by the Swiss Cableways Association on Friday. In the summer season that ended at the end of October, these cableways suffered a drop of eleven percent compared to summer 2023.
In contrast, mountain railway companies that mainly transport guests from abroad or have a balanced mix of guests only reported a drop of two percent. The weather plays a subordinate role for foreign guests when deciding on a trip to the mountains, wrote Cableways Switzerland.
The mountain railroads in Ticino were the only ones to close the year with a positive result compared to the previous year, while those in Eastern Switzerland and Graubünden reported a drop in guest numbers of up to 18 percent. Compared to the five-year average, however, guest numbers rose in almost all regions.
The past summer shows how dependent the cable car industry is on the weather: Benno Stoffel, Director of Seilbahnen Schweiz, is quoted in the communiqué. At the end of October, a number of cableways extended the season into the first weekend of November. This flexibility will play an increasingly important role in the future.
