Winter as Cultural Heritage: The Alps serving as a "Lab of Modernity"

And so it begins again: the 2025/2026 winter season. Symbolically, winter stands for clarity, calm, and new beginnings – a fitting metaphor for a season launch full of opportunity.

The Alpine winter is both heritage and future: a living environment that has shaped people for generations and continues to be reimagined today. This year once again, we had the pleasure of realizing numerous sophisticated concepts and solutions for Alpine regions together with you. Along the way, familiar questions arise time and again: Why do we do what we do? Where do we come from? And where are we headed? 

Winter as Cultural Heritage – Where We Come From 

Alpine winter tourism is more than a season – it is cultural heritage. Since the 1950s, it has shaped entire regions, created jobs, and connected people. It represents a way of life rooted in craftsmanship, mountain knowledge, and hospitality, expressed through rituals, traditions, and the hut culture. From torchlit descents to après-ski, life in the Alps is as multifaceted as it is emotional. 

The Alpine Region as a Laboratory of Modernity 

Ski resorts have always been centers of innovation and trendsetters. Advanced lift technologies, sophisticated snowmaking systems, modern hospitality standards, efficient energy management, and well-designed logistics all demonstrate the visionary nature of the Alpine region. Austria, Switzerland, France, and Italy have long been among the global leaders in infrastructure and sustainable development. 

“Experiencing the Outdoors” – Relevance for Society and the Economy 

Winter tourism shapes both the identity and the economic value of entire regions. In some Alpine destinations, winter guests generate up to 80% of annual income. At the same time, expectations are shifting: retreat, deceleration, and conscious engagement with nature are gaining importance, making the Alpine region relevant far beyond its purely sporting appeal. 

Industry Impulse – Rethinking Winter 

The future lies in sophisticated, distinctive Alpine concepts and experiences – locally rooted, yet globally relevant. Diversification is key: skiing remains the core, but winter hiking, cuisine, wellness and culture are gaining equal importance. Climate change, demographic shifts and evolving guest profiles demand a paradigm shift – away from “more and more” toward resilient, mindful, and year-round use. 

Technology and sustainability play a central role in this transformation: AI-supported snowmaking, renewable energy, circular solutions in hospitality, and “Slow Alps” approaches – slower, more conscious experiences, car-free zones, and gentle mobility – are shaping the future of winter tourism. Digital guest experiences, personalized itineraries, and intelligent mobility solutions further support this evolution. 

Alpine Culture: Bridging Tradition and Innovation  

Across Austria, Switzerland, Italy and France, winter represents far more than tourism-driven value creation – it is identity. The 2025/26 winter season marks a transition: from a familiar success model toward a consciously shaped future for the Alpine living environment. Climatic, economic, and social challenges open up new fields of development and, at the same time, space for innovation – from sustainable technologies and new forms of outdoor enjoyment to a renewed focus on our roots and the authenticity of Alpine winter regions. 

We wish you a successful start to the winter season and many unforgettable moments in the experience spaces you have created for your guests.