Future of the Schetteregg ski area: Will the first snow fall?

Future of the Schetteregg ski area: Will the first snow fall?

The popular family ski area Schetteregg in the Bregenzerwald is facing an uncertain future after Egger Liftgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG filed for bankruptcy in May. The operator, who not only runs the ski area but also restaurants and accommodation establishments, has filed an application to open insolvency proceedings with the responsible regional court. According to Schetteregg, the financial situation was increasingly precarious and no viable solution could be found for the existing company.

What made matters particularly difficult was that no agreement could be reached at the shareholders' meeting on May 17, 2025 on a possible capital increase or a future concept. Managing director Hannes Waldner therefore feels obliged to take this step because all funds have been used up. In addition, winters with little snow and difficult weather conditions resulted in significant losses of income.

Search for investors

The search for new investors for the Schetteregg ski area is already underway, with the application deadline for potential buyers being extended from the end of July to mid-September 2025. Insolvency administrator Rupert Manhart reports encouraging interest in secure winter operations. Mayor Marc Meusburger is optimistic that ski operations can take place in the coming winter if suitable investors can be found.

However, the potential buyers would have to take over operationally necessary facilities such as lifts, the “Lifthus” and the parking spaces in order to ensure future operation. It was determined that a buyer should be found by mid-October 2025; otherwise the lifts could be shut down for the entire season.

Challenges in ski tourism

Like many regional providers, Schetteregg is not alone in the storm of the challenges of climate change and financial difficulties. Current developments in ski tourism show that many ski areas in Europe are facing growing problems. A study in the specialist journal “Nature Climate Change” makes it clear that artificial snowmaking is not always the solution. For example, several high-altitude ski resorts, including in Sauerland in Germany, have been forced to declare bankruptcy, further increasing concerns about the future of ski resorts.

Many operators respond to other problems, such as the permanent closure of ski areas due to a lack of snow, by relying on year-round tourism offers or using the latest technology to measure snow depth. Such trends are not reducing the economic pressure on ski areas, including the one in Schetteregg.

The current situation is therefore more than worrying for the future of the Schetteregg family ski area, which is an important retreat for many winter sports enthusiasts and families. The developments in the coming weeks will be decisive as to whether the ski area will continue to exist after bankruptcy or whether the chapter will finally close.