We have experienced another good winter season that has helped deliver a strong financial year with increased profit and exceeded financial targets. The number of skier days increased by 4 percent to 5.1 million, while the number of booked overnight stays increased by 5 percent to 524,000, says Mats Årjes, CEO at SkiStar.
After a late start to the season due to mild weather, business gained momentum from the Christmas and New Year holidays. More guests in January, mainly due to Valle’s Winter Weeks and SkiStar Business, combined with good winter and Easter breaks, contributed to the improved results. A weak Norwegian krone has brought an increased inflow of foreign guests, mainly from the Danish market.
SkiStar is launching its first new offer for guests since adding St. Johann, Austria to its range of ski resorts. Starting from winter 2016/2017, the Tyrolean ski resort of St. Johann will be included in SkiStar's season skipass, MySkiStar All.
SkiStar has signed an agreement and will, through a rights issue, become the majority shareholder in the Austrian ski resort of St. Johanner Bergbahnen GmbH. SkiStar will pay a share issue proceeds of EUR 10 million and thus become the owner of 68 % stake in the company.
Comments from CEO Mats Årjes: In summarising the first six months, we are pleased to present the best results in SkiStar's history. More guests in January, partly due to Valle’ s Winter Weeks and SkiStar Business, combined with a good winter half-term break contributed to the improved results. Booking volumes increased by 9 percent from the start of the season to the end of February.
We are embarking on the 2015/16 season with great confidence. The season has now opened at all of our destinations and we’re looking forward to welcoming our guests for the Christmas and New Year holidays. Booking volumes are still up 12 percent on the same time last year, and all weeks up until Easter have higher booking levels compared to the previous year, says Mats Årjes CEO.
SkiStar has been invited to participate in a preferential rights issue for shares in St. Johanner Bergbahnen GmbH. Acceptance of the offer means ownership of about 68 percent of the company’s shares. In conjunction with the offer, a letter of intent was signed between SkiStar and representatives of the three largest current shareholders stating that they will not participate in the share issue.
Philips TV launches a snow park in Åre in northern Sweden lit up by LED lamps in changing colors. The park will be open at night and offers this year’s skiers a brand new and unique experience.
Åre will start the ski season Friday 4 December. Cold and heavy snowfall has turned Åre into a wonderful winter landscape. The preparations for Åre Ski Opening 11-13 December and the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup competitions continue.
Åre, Sweden, have been allotted races in the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup on 12 to 13 Dec, 2015 from the International Ski Federation (FIS). The scheduled competitions will be held on Saturday12 December with Giant slalom for ladies and Sunday 13 December with ladies’ slalom. Åre has also the official season opening weekend.
SkiStar owns and operates the two largest ski resorts in Norway, Trysil and Hemsedal. In addition to Åre, Sälen and Vemdalen in Sweden.The German and English markets show a growing interest for ski holidays in the Swedish and Norwegian mountains. SkiStar´s fourth largest market, Germany, presents a 4 percent increase in comparison to the previous year and the English market is up by 64 %* .
Last winter, almost 10 metres* of natural snow fell at the SkiStar resorts in Sälen, Hemsedal, Trysil, Åre and Vemdalen. SkiStar invests continuously in improving the skiing experience, and in the run-up to the coming season we will be focusing in particular on developing facilities in Sälen and Vemdalen.
Sweden and Åre have already been allotted races in the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup on 12 to 14 March, 2015, but after proposals from the International Ski Federation (FIS) Åre has now also been offered the cancelled races from Val d'Isère and Courchevel, due to be staged in the respective resorts during the same weekend. The rescheduled competitions will be held on Friday 12 December with giant slalo
Winter has arrived in the Swedish and Norwegian mountains meaning that skiing is now open at all the SkiStar destinations: Sälen, Åre and Vemdalen in Sweden together with Trysil and Hemsedal in Norway. This coming weekend will see additional ski lifts and pistes become accessible.
SkiStar is gearing up for a ‘news-heavy’ winter and presenting comprehensive investments in the skiing areas, backed by major focus on e-commerce in the form of the fully integrated skistarshop.com website and the new business area entitled SkiStar Business. In addition, it has been confirmed that Åre will be organising the Alpine World Championships in 2019.
The possibility to spend time together on an active holiday attracts many guests to the Swedish and Norwegian mountains also in the summer. The wide and varied offerings of activities such as lift-assisted hiking and biking, exciting events and challenging competitions for all levels provide for fun for everyone.
On 5 June 2014 at the International Ski Federation, FIS, congress in Barcelona, Swedish resort Åre was elected to host the 2019 Alpine World Ski Championships. Åre, most recently hosting the WSC in 2007 was elected with the narrowest possible margin: 9 votes against 8 for the sole competitor, Italian Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Due to large quantities of snow, Hemsedal has decided to extend the ski season by one weekend. This year you can ski and snowboard until Sunday 11 May at Hemsedal Skisenter.
With ten million annual visits at skistar.com and more than one million active customer contacts, SkiStar is now taking the next step towards new business. SkiStar opts to develop e-commerce within mountains sports with the main focus on alpine skiing, to one hundred percent integrated with the existing online booking flow at skistar.com. The launch is planned for the autumn 2014.
Jon Olsson is celebrating ten years as an event organiser in Åre with a great show featuring several of the world’s best freeriders in the Head Big Air. In concert with the freestyle show some of the alpine World Cup top racers will take part in the parallel slalom event Betsafe Alpine Challenge; this year also including female athletes such as Olympic gold medallist Julia Mancuso.
