Tirol ski tickets top 80 euros as resort costs rise

Day tickets at some of Tirol’s top ski resorts now cost more than 80 euros, with high investment and operating costs driving prices higher, ORF reports. Reinhard Klier, head of the cable-car sector at the Tyrol Chamber of Commerce, said operators were trying to pass on rising costs without deterring visitors.

Tourism researcher Robert Steiger of the University of Innsbruck said Tirol’s prices were broadly in line with those in South Tyrol and France. Switzerland’s top ski resorts were about 10 to 15 percent more expensive than Austria’s, he said.

The most expensive day tickets cost about 36 euros 20 years ago, compared with more than 85 euros at some resorts today. Ski ticket prices have risen faster than general inflation, particularly in recent years as energy costs increased.

Experts say higher prices appear to deter local residents more than visitors from abroad. Without regional season passes such as the Freizeit-Ticket, RegioCard and SnowCard, significantly fewer locals would continue skiing, they say.

Steiger expects ticket prices to keep rising, potentially faster than inflation, as climate change requires more snowmaking and brings higher energy and snowmaking costs. Ski resorts are also investing in new technology and improved comfort.

Klier cited above-inflation wage agreements, energy bills and construction costs as pressures on operators. He said Tirol’s snowmaking facilities had been expanded in recent years and that fewer investments would be needed in the coming years, which could bring price increases closer to the rate of inflation. Operators aim to keep skiing affordable for the middle class in Central Europe, he said.

Klier said shrinking glaciers affect glacier ski areas, while expanded snowmaking had helped resorts at middle and lower elevations get through a recent winter with little natural snow. He said lower-altitude resorts would need to extend alternative offers into spring and autumn. Hiking and time in the mountains remain key reasons for visitors to come to Tirol, he added.