SalzburgerLand Tourism Presents Highlights Of 2025/26 Winter Season Under Motto “Winter In Salzburgerland Plays Mozart”
With impressive summer results, new tourism impulses, and a culturally rich start to the winter season, the SalzburgerLand Tourism Association is presenting its key measures for the upcoming winter season at the International Mozarteum Foundation. Under the motto "Winter in SalzburgerLand plays Mozart," Deputy Governor Stefan Schnöll, SLTG Managing Director Leo Bauernberger, John Lüftner, producer of the TV series "School of Champions," and Rainer Heneis, Managing Director of the International Mozarteum Foundation, provided insights into current developments and highlights for the 2025/26 winter season.
With almost 13.5 million overnight stays from May to September, SalzburgerLand recorded an increase of 4.6 percent compared to the previous year – this means, in the preliminary summer balance, the strongest summer season since records began.
Deputy Governor Stefan Schnöll expressed his delight: "SalzburgerLand has established itself as an international year-round destination, consolidated its position, and is a successful tourism brand worldwide. It is particularly encouraging that all districts are benefiting from this development. These figures are a testament to the domestic tourism industry, which relies on family-friendly structures, innovative offerings, and high quality. Our businesses are demonstrating their hospitality skills, which are highly valued by our guests."
Germany remains the strongest source market with a share of around 37 percent, followed by Austria and the Netherlands. The introduction of the Guest Mobility Ticket, which has allowed all overnight guests free use of public transport throughout the entire state since May, was also heavily promoted and very well received by guests. It contributes significantly to the positive results.
"Sustainability and environmentally friendly mobility are increasingly becoming a booking argument. With the Guest Mobility Ticket, Salzburg has positioned itself as a pioneer in sustainable tourism, which gives us an invaluable competitive advantage for the future: We enable guests to explore SalzburgerLand in a stress-free, comfortable, and environmentally friendly way," Schnöll continued.
The outlook for the 2025/26 winter season is quite optimistic. Stable advance bookings from core markets, a strong start to the season on the Kitzsteinhorn, and the inclusion of the Zell am See–Kaprun and Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn ski areas in the international Epic Pass from the USA provide a solid foundation.
SLTG Managing Director Leo Bauernberger presented the new winter campaign “That’s what we live for,” which will be launched next weekend in the most important source markets and will whet the appetite for a winter holiday in SalzburgerLand with strong images, emotional stories, and attractive offers.
"The winter half-year is the strongest tourism season in SalzburgerLand in terms of added value and overnight stays. Many jobs in the region depend directly or indirectly on it," says Bauernberger.
The campaign is being implemented in cooperation with seven tourism regions and two mobility partners and focuses on family offers, affordable packages and authentic experiences – from skiing, Nordic sports, winter and snowshoe hiking to cultural breaks.
"Our goal is to encourage guests to make booking decisions earlier and to place a strong emphasis on promoting sunny skiing offers starting in mid-March. SalzburgerLand stands for the highest quality of service, warm hospitality, and a true winter feeling—that's what we live for," emphasized Bauernberger.
Another item on the press conference agenda was the presentation of the successful ORF series "School of Champions," the third season of which will air in January 2026 – once again featuring impressive filming locations in the Gastein Valley. Producer John Lüftner emphasized the series' close connection to SalzburgerLand: "The School of Champions has found its cinematic home in SalzburgerLand, with which we have enjoyed close collaboration on various film and television productions for many years. In addition to the breathtaking locations, we have always been welcomed with great friendship and received professional support at the highest level. Last but not least, I would like to mention the outstanding Salzburg film and television professionals with whom we are privileged to work here, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them most sincerely for their outstanding work."
The series, which combines attractive winter sports, youth development, and gripping drama, reaches more than 1.2 million viewers and is particularly popular among young target groups for alpine winter sports. A fourth season is already in the planning stages.
The year 2026 will be marked by major anniversaries for the International Mozarteum Foundation. Managing Director Rainer Heneis gave an outlook on the celebrations: "From the very beginning of winter, 2026 in Salzburg will be entirely dedicated to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's 270th birthday. With the Mozart Week, starting on January 22nd, we will once again celebrate the first festival of the year with Mozart lovers from all over the world for the seventieth time, celebrating the eternal light of the genius loci with the motto lux æterna. Surrounding these musical highlights, the supporting program and the exhibitions in both Mozart Museums offer a wide variety of opportunities throughout the year for music lovers and visitors, allowing them to continually experience Mozart's unique cosmos anew, even after 270 years in SalzburgerLand."
With over 70 events over ten days, a new production of The Magic Flute directed by Rolando Villazón, and the participation of renowned orchestras and artists, the Mozart Week 2026 will once again be a cultural highlight of international renown.
The interplay of successful tourism strategies, sustainable mobility, cultural beacons, and media visibility are the major strengths of SalzburgerLand for the coming season.
Stefan Schnöll: "SalzburgerLand has proven that it can combine tradition, innovation and sustainability. With attractive offers and events, new mobility solutions and cultural highlights. On the 270th anniversary of the birth of WA Mozart, we look forward to the coming winter with confidence.”
Leo Bauernberger added "In conjunction with our regions, attractive offerings, sustainable mobility, cultural landmarks, and strong media visibility, we are very well prepared for the coming season. Our task is to continually retell the fascination of winter – authentically, emotionally, and inspiringly. This year, winter in SalzburgerLand is playing Mozart – and with passion!"
