Very Good Start To Summer Season For Swiss Lift Co’s
Compared to the rainy start to the season last year, this year's summer season got off to a very good start. While May was still changeable, June was characterized by plenty of sunshine, heat, and dry weather. Overall, first-time entries are 24% higher than last year. Compared to the five-year average, first-time entries are even 56% higher.
For its seasonal monitoring, the Swiss Cable Car Industry Association (SBS) is evaluating the number of guests (first-time entries) of over 120 members across Switzerland. The figures now available allow for an analysis of the 2025 summer season from the start of the season to the end of June.
Pleasant start in May, hot June
May, a month still of little importance for tourism, initially had a summery feel compared to previous years, followed by a cold snap. June, in turn, was exceptionally warm and dry. This contrasted sharply with last year's June, which was characterized by cool temperatures, heavy rainfall, and severe storms in the southern mountain regions. This year's pleasant weather encouraged many guests from Germany and neighboring countries to take day trips in June. As a result, there were 24% more first-time visitors in May and June combined than in the previous year.
Guests from within the country are increasingly returning to the mountains
Last year's severe weather in the mountains, along with the numerous thunderstorms, created poor conditions for excursions or holidays in the mountains. This negatively impacted footfall at businesses with a majority of domestic guests last year. Guests from abroad are less sensitive to bad weather due to their planned trips.
In May and June, a total of 30% more Swiss guests visited the mountains than in the previous year. Due to the hot weather, many more day trips were booked this year. In Graubünden, the increase for railways, which primarily serve Swiss guests, was as high as 63%. Encouragingly, international guests also increased during this period – with 19% more frequencies than the previous year.
Regional differences
The start of the season was also positive in most regions: The mountain railways in the Vaud and Fribourg Alps recorded the strongest growth, with over 50%. This was followed by Eastern Switzerland with 29%, Valais and Graubünden with 26% each, Central Switzerland with 24%, and the Bernese Oberland with 20%, all of which were close to the Swiss average. Ticino, at 3%, is slightly above the previous year's figure, although one major facility there is out of service due to renovations.
Comparison with the 5-year average
Compared to the five-year average, there are a whopping 56% more first-time visitors. However, the five-year average includes the first two years of the coronavirus pandemic; at the beginning of the 2020 summer season, cable car operations were suspended, and at the beginning of the 2021 summer season, official restrictions were gradually relaxed. If these specific years are excluded and the start of the 2025 season is compared with the average from 2022 to 2024, the difference in first-time visitors is still 18%.
When comparing the regions with the five-year average, the Vaud and Fribourg Alps also stand out, with an increase of 93%. Central Switzerland (72%) and the Bernese Oberland (67%) also recorded very large increases. There were also notable increases in Valais (36%), Eastern Switzerland (29%), and Graubünden (9%). Ticino's five-year average shows a negative result.
"The summer season has started well. Summer in the mountains is the trend, and the cable cars are investing heavily in a great product. Whether it's stunning panoramas and culinary delights, or sporting activities like hiking, biking, and climbing, a family outing with a ride on a Tyrolean zip line makes a trip to the mountains an unforgettable experience," says Berno Stoffel, Director of Swiss Cable Cars (SBS).
