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Zermatt at the peak of fame
A record numbers of visits
Last year’s numbers were excellent, but this year’s numbers are even better! The glorious views, fresh mountain air, and pure serenity of being in nature allow Zermatt to capture hearts around the world… and set new record numbers of visits since the global pandemic.
How can one resist? The worldwide desire to travel to authentic, nature-first destinations has never been higher. Topping the list, Zermatt offers what other destinations lack: beauty, natural grandeur, purity, calm, and the distinct sensation of closing one door to open another that is free from the stresses and worries of everyday life.
A winning strategy
Far from being half-hearted, all assessments are wildly enthusiastic, placing Zermatt well above any other ski resort in the country. Zermatt Bergbahnen (ZBAG), the Zermatt lift-operating company, saw record numbers that hark back to the pre-Covid days, signalling an official end to the pandemic travel slump. Their 2022-2023 financial report boasted record numbers despite the war in Ukraine, the disruption of the global supply chain, the surge in energy costs, inflation, and new work benefits that gave 5% of employees an additional week of paid vacation. The Chairman of the board of directors, Franz Julen, attributes the bulk of that success to the 2018-2022 strategy, which was built around three primary axes: the quality of infrastructure and services; constant reinvestment; and constant innovation regarding what the company offers — all of which allowed the company to charge a premium and thus guarantee future investments. The 2023-2027 strategy reinforces this same vision, coupled with digitalization, increased social responsibility towards employees, and an ever-growing sense of environmental stewardship.
The station’s North American clientele begun returning to the station in summer 2022 and summer 2023 performed even better, with an increase in visitation of at least 10% (beating the earlier 2019 record). Even so, the summer season is not the main priority for ZBAG as it only represents a quarter of the group’s revenue. The winter months are the main driver of Zermatt’s tourism, which saw a huge influx of (notably) American visitors, largely due to the ski domain’s inclusion in the international Ikon Pass, a multi-station ski pass that’s valid around the world
(11 countries) with Zermatt being the only Swiss ski station that participates in the program. A perfect example of how Zermatt Bergbahnen’s forward-thinking vision has paid off. The same could be said for the artificial snow (that can cover up to 80% of the skiable area), which allowed the ski domain to compensate for low snow fall over the past two years and still reliably provide quality skiable slopes, thanks to the resort’s high altitude. A reality that was recognized when Zermatt was (once again) crowned as the “Best Ski Resort in the Alps” for 2023.
Projects past, present, and future
Over the past year, Zermatt Bergbahnen invested over 44.5 million CHF into infrastructure development. A significant part of that went towards a flagship project, which was finally inaugurated in summer 2023: the Matterhorn Alpine Crossing, which extended the cable car from Klein Matterhorn to Testa Grigia (Plateau Rosa). The new route allows passengers to travel from Zermatt in Switzerland all the way to Italy (Breuil-Cervinia) by flying over the Alps — a significant bonus for tourism (particularly during the winter holidays) and a significant technological feat, as the 1.6 km cable has no intermediary pylons along the way.
Another major goal for ZBAG moving forward is to modernize the stations and cable cars that service the route from Zermatt to Furi, which was inaugurated (on schedule) in November 2023. Add to that the work done at Klein Matterhorn to extend the summit’s infrastructure, various equipment purchases (snow groomers and cannons), and environmental restoration that includes projects at the sides of the Stafel glacier, which was impacted by work being done on the Kumme gondola. Investments for the 2023-2024 fiscal year have been set at 42 million CHF, half of which has been designated to finalizing the Furi gondola lift and its new administrative and shopping centre. There are also 4 million CHF that have been set aside for landscaping projects at the new Testa Grigia station and surrounding areas.
