Kohl & Partners Report Winter 2024/25 In The Alpine Region As Positive
The 2024/25 winter season in the Alpine region developed positively overall, with a slight increase in occupancy and stronger price enforcement compared to the previous year. However, the season can be divided into two phases: The first half of the winter, particularly December and January, was characterized by strong demand and very positive results, while the trend flattened noticeably in February and March. Demand declined significantly in March in particular – especially in regions with less snow reliability and at lower altitudes – which dampened the overall result.
Thomas Steiner, Managing Partner of Kohl > Partner, in collaboration with RateBoard, a renowned provider of revenue management systems in the Alpine region, has conducted another fact check for the 2024/2025 winter season. The analysis is based on data from 500 hotels in the Alpine region.
Euphoria in the first half of winter: December and January as seasonal highlights
The first two months of the season saw above-average demand, leading to excellent occupancy and positive price development. December and January, in particular, saw high booking numbers and strong price enforcement: occupancy increased by an average of 3.5% year-on-year, and ADR grew by 7%. These months fueled euphoria and fueled expectations of an exceptional winter.
Starting in February and March, the market trend became less dynamic. Demand stabilized, and the strong performance of the first half of winter could not be sustained:
- February 2025: Occupancy was 71%, a slight decrease of 1% year-on-year. The ADR increased by 3.8% to €350, due to the postponement of the peak holiday season to early March.
- March 2025: Despite the postponement of the peak holiday season to early March, demand could not be maintained at the same level as expected. After the holiday season, demand collapsed significantly. Occupancy fell to 60%, a decrease of 1.3% year-on-year. However, the ADR increased by 4.5%, which continues to demonstrate successful price upward pressure despite the declining demand. However, price enforcement outside of the peak holiday season in March was rather poor, as demand was noticeably weaker in the remaining weeks.
Overall balance – positive development, but differentiated results
Occupancy in the Alpine region increased by 1.2%, representing a solid year-on-year increase. Particularly noteworthy is the strong price enforcement, as the ADR increased by 5.6% to €324, underscoring the successful adaptation to the market situation.
Hotel expert Thomas Steiner, Managing Partner at Kohl > Partner, draws the following conclusion about the winter season:
"The 2024/25 winter season in the Alpine region was overall more successful than the previous year. The destination benefited particularly from strong demand and successful price enforcement in the first few months. However, the euphoria over a "top winter" was tempered by the somewhat weaker results in the following months; in particular, the late holidays in March and the entire month of March failed to match the demand.
Matthias Trenkwalder, Managing Director of RateBoard, says: "The 2024/25 winter season clearly demonstrates the critical importance of a flexible pricing strategy combined with data-based market observation. Especially in the second half of the season, it was crucial for many businesses to respond quickly to declining demand in order to stabilize their earnings."
Detailed insights here
