65th Annual General Meeting Of Gletscherbahnen Kaprun AG Held

The Management Board of the leading tourism company based in Kaprun reported on the extremely successful 2023/24 financial year to the company's shareholders at the 65th Annual General Meeting on April 23. The period from October 2023 to September 2024 proved to be "ANYTHING. EXCEPT ORDINARY" for the company.

FINANCIAL YEAR 2023/24

Framework conditions

For the first time in the company's history, autumn skiing on the Kitzsteinhorn did not start in October as usual, but only on November 3rd. This was due to the warmest September and October on record. The winter was all the more pleasing, with consistently excellent snow and piste conditions. This was also appreciated by an above-average number of guests, as the frequency of visits shows. The summer was challenging at times – with intense thunderstorms and strong winds. Especially in August, very high temperatures prevailed even at the highest altitudes. The summer offerings on Kaprun's two local mountains were extremely well utilized and delighted numerous guests.

Numbers & Conclusion

Despite the delayed start to the glacier ski season, 1,236,084 guests visited the Kitzsteinhorn and the Maiskogel – only 2.3 percent fewer than the previous year. The months of February and March, in particular, stood out with previously unattained highs. The high altitude and the associated snow reliability, as well as the outstanding quality of the slopes, proved to be a particular competitive advantage. Gletscherbahnen Kaprun AG generated revenue of €68.5 million in the 2023/24 financial year. This represents an increase of 7.2 percent over the previous year: "This success was only possible thanks to the outstanding commitment and professional work of our employees. They deserve our heartfelt thanks and great recognition." – Thomas Maierhofer, CEO of Gletscherbahnen Kaprun AG

Construction & investment activities

Road underpass at Maiskogel

Over the summer months, Gletscherbahnen Kaprun AG built a road underpass on the Maiskogel valley run. Since then, cars have been driving underneath the slope, meaning snow sports enthusiasts no longer have to look left and right when crossing Schaufelbergstrasse. This represents both an upgrade and a safety improvement for the local family ski resort.

New building for the Gletschermühle restaurant

Following extensive reconstruction and extensive renovation of the Alpine Center, the quality initiative for Kitzsteinhorn's gastronomy is entering the next phase: During the summer months, the first construction phase for the new Gletschermühle restaurant was completed with the construction of the basement, restoring the original above-ground condition for the fall and winter of 2024/25. The new building is scheduled to be constructed in summer 2025 and open in winter of the same year.

Kitzsteinhorn as an employer

For Gletscherbahnen Kaprun AG, the 2023/24 financial year was primarily focused on its employees. To further enhance its attractiveness as an employer brand, the company collaborated with the agency Hello Munich to develop a special recruiting and employer branding campaign: Under the title "My job is everything. Extraordinary," the campaign highlighted both the unique working environment and the diverse work areas on the Kitzsteinhorn.

myKitz app

With the development and introduction of the Kitzsteinhorn team app “myKitz,” the company has taken a significant step toward internal information exchange.

Sustainability & Energy Efficiency

Decarbonization

The company's own fleet of electric minibuses for employees to use for carpooling has been expanded to include additional environmentally friendly electric buses.

100% green electricity from Kaprun

Since January 2024, VERBUND Energy4Business GmbH has been sourcing the electrical energy for all company-owned facilities directly from the Kaprun power plants as green electricity. This measure provides significant synergy benefits with regard to maintaining the regional circular economy, including in the energy sector.

ISO recertification

In August 2024, TÜV NORD CERT GmbH conducted the extensive recertification audit for the areas of quality management (9001), environmental management (14001), and energy management (50001). All management activities, the definition and documentation of all operational processes, and the implementation of numerous action measures comply with the underlying standards and have led to the unrestricted renewal of all certificates.

Research

The cooperation agreement with GEORESEARCH Forschungsgesellschaft mbH has been extended. This extends the scientific collaboration on research topics related to climate, glaciers, permafrost, and rock stability, which began in 2010, until at least the end of 2026. The cooperation provides essential support in analyzing sustainable facility adaptations, operational activities, and high-quality, future-oriented service optimization in this high mountain region, which is undergoing changes due to global warming.

Outlook

Thanks to heavy snowfall in mid-September, the Kitzsteinhorn ski season for the current 2024/25 fiscal year began on October 5th—about a month earlier than the previous year. The 2024/25 winter season will be one of the driest and most precipitation-free and driest on record. Despite this, snow and piste conditions on the Kitzsteinhorn remained excellent. The glacier spring promises beautiful days for sunny skiing until May 18th.

Elections to the Supervisory Board

Elections to the Supervisory Board took place during the Annual General Meeting. The re-election of all members for five years ensures continuity and the preservation of their valuable experience.