Vorarlberg hotels see rising demand for activities beyond skiing

Hotels in the Vorarlberg region are pleased with bookings for Christmas and New Year, but demand for the rest of winter will depend on snow conditions, ORF reports. The tourism industry also says guests are increasingly seeking activities beyond the ski slopes.

Snow conditions will be key to bookings in January, February and March, with hoteliers hoping for both effective snowmaking and natural snowfall. “If there is enough snow on the slopes, the rooms are full,” said Heike Ladurner-Strolz, head of the hotel division at the Vorarlberg Economic Chamber. While Christmas and New Year are focused on spending time with family, skiing becomes the priority afterwards, she said.

Guests are no longer going skiing every day, partly because of high ski-pass prices, Ladurner-Strolz said. They want more flexibility to decide based on the weather whether to buy a pass or spend the day differently. Winter walks, ice skating, carriage rides and wellness offers are therefore becoming more important.

Rising prices are also shortening winter stays. Whereas guests used to book five to seven days, three to four days is now typical. There are also fewer traditional arrival and departure days: guests now come and go throughout the week, rather than mainly between Friday and Sunday.

Wellness hotels remain popular despite higher costs. Guests who want to treat themselves to a holiday continue to choose all-inclusive hotels, Ladurner-Strolz said. The choice between guesthouses and holiday apartments is often driven not by price but by guests’ preferred style of accommodation.