We don’t need to reinvent winter, but we do need to adapt to new conditions – that was the tenor of exciting media discussions that took place in the run-up to the World Cup races at the Carat Congress Center in Gurgl/Ötztal. The course for winter sports has long been set and lies somewhere between innovation, sustainability, and the eternal passion for winter sports. Just in time for the promising debates, snowfall began in Gurgl in the Ötztal valley, creating perfect conditions for the upcoming race weekend.
The Media Day was all about change and brought together experts for TV panel discussions and podcasts with leading media outlets such as ORF Sport +, the Tiroler Tageszeitung newspaper, Germany’s largest weather platform wetter.com, and Joyn’s 4GAMECHANGERS format. Under the motto “Winter sports can have a future,” the prominent guests addressed the challenges facing winter sports: from climate change and social changes to the prospects for alpine racing. It became clear that the future of winter sports requires creative solutions, bold innovations, and a clear course toward sustainability.
It’s about sustainable strategies and adaptations
Hubert Siller (MCI Tourism) made it clear: “Global warming is a fact, but we will still be able to ski in the future. So it’s not about reinventing winter, but about technological change, sustainable strategies, and adaptations.” The latest mountain sports study has shown that there are numerous snow experts who ski more than 10 times a season. In addition, there is great potential among people who enjoy exercise but for whom active recreation, relaxation, and experiencing nature are the main priorities.
The opening discussion in Obergurgl with Hubert Siller (MCI Tourism), Thomas Schroll (Freizeitticket Tirol), Lena Öller (Protect Our Winters), Karin Seiler (Managing Director of Tirol Werbung), and former ski racer Thomas Dreßen on the effects of climate change and necessary adjustments in the industry summed up the experts’ views: “We have to face reality and make winter sports sustainable—before winter runs away from us.”
Karin Seiler highlighted the continuing popularity of winter sports: “84 percent of winter visitors to Tyrol are looking for an active winter sports vacation.” Skiing therefore remains by far the most important reason for taking a vacation, although enjoyment, regeneration, and cuisine are becoming increasingly important. The price and booking monitoring system developed by Tirol Werbung currently even shows a slight increase in demand compared to last winter. “Winter sports also remain popular with locals. Sales of combined tickets such as the Freizeiticket Tirol have even increased this year,” Thomas Schroll also emphasized.
However, in view of climate and social change, the tourism industry has already made adjustments on many levels. Joint efforts towards sustainability are considerable, and there are numerous initiatives: Tyrol is on track, regions such as Seefeld and Kufstein carry the Austrian Ecolabel, and Tyrolean cable cars run on green electricity.
And across all discussions, one thing became clear: the key to further ecological development lies in mobility, because emissions from travel to and from the resort account for 70% of emissions – calculated over an entire day of skiing.
That is why, according to Seiler, we are pushing ahead with “Tirol auf Schiene” (Tyrol on Track). However, public transport must be made much more convenient to use in the future, and products, services, and infrastructure must be improved.
When innovation meets sustainability
Afterwards, experts and visionaries gathered at the Joyn 4GAMECHANGERS TV studio to discuss the future of winter sports with a focus on “innovation and sustainability.” Moderator Verena Schneider guided the conversation through exciting topics related to technological innovations, sustainable resource use, and future-proof solutions for alpine skiing. Guests included Roswitha Stadlober (ÖSV President), Theresa Haid (tourism expert and sustainability expert), Benjamin Kneisl (Chairman of Ötztal Tourism and CEO of the Association of Tyrolean Tourism Associations), Thomas Dreßen, and Michi Freymann (SPURart Profi Selfmade-Ski).
Inspiring families to enjoy winter sports
The wetter.com podcast entitled “Between freak weather and price wars – how affordable are winter sports today?” focused on the financial challenges of winter sports. Presenter Daniela Kreck (wetter.com) and her guests, including Michaela Burger (Bergbahnen Hochötz), Reinhard Klier (Seilbahnsprecher Tirol), Mike Partel (initiator of KIDS ON SKI), Denise Seiling (meteorologist at wetter.com), and Lena Öller (Protect Our Winters), discussed how rising costs for ski passes, equipment, and sustainable infrastructure are affecting the accessibility of winter sports. Here, too, the tenor was clear: it must continue to be possible to get families and, above all, children excited about winter sports – affordable introductory offers would be crucial here.
“World Cup Talk” and exciting insights into the upcoming Ski World Championships
The crowning glory of the media day was the ORF Sport + Talk program “The Winter Sports Talk – Insights into the Ski World Cup and Outlook for the Ski World Championships in Austria.” Host Fred Lentsch welcomed prominent guests such as Mario Stecher (ÖSV Sports Director), Alban Scheiber (Managing Director of Hochgurgler Liftgesellschaft, OK Chief Ski World Cup GURGL), Jack Falkner (Managing Director of Bergbahnen Sölden and OK Chief Ski World Cup SÖLDEN), Franziska Gritsch (ÖSV ski racer), Martina Ertl (former German ski racer), and Norwegian ski star Aleksander Aamodt Kilde. The experts and ski stars provided exciting insights into the current World Cup season and ventured a look ahead to the upcoming World Championships in Salzburg.
It is always an emotional highlight when the world’s elite compete in the Ötztal valley – the World Cup slope is in absolutely top condition, said Alban Scheiber, head of the organizing committee for the races in Gurgl in the Ötztal valley.
Media day marks successful start to World Cup races in Gurgl
The media day was a fitting start to the World Cup races in Gurgl and provided valuable impetus and perspectives for the future of winter sports. The successful day not only made a sporting statement, but also underlined the importance of innovation and sustainability in an industry that constantly faces new challenges.