President Paul-Marc Julen welcomed the members of Zermatt Tourism to the Grand Hotel Zermatterhof on Wednesday, 2 February 2022 – in person and digitally on screens. Despite a decline in overnight stays last year of 3.8 percent, Zermatt Tourism was able to close the year with a balanced account and a small profit. There is still no sign of a recovery of the situation triggered by the coronavirus pandemic. The income generated from visitors in the 2021 business year remained a good third below the figures before the pandemic. A positive financial statement was only possible as a result of rigorous cost control and a host of small savings.
Achievement and prospects
Despite cost-cutting measures, the members received a comprehensive annual report. It centred on the celebrations around the anniversary of the first ascent of the Matterhorn by a woman, achieved by Lucy Walker 150 years ago. The report anticipates the slow awakening of overseas markets, with marketing activities restarting, especially in the US market. The medium-term plan drawn up together with the delegates and approved by the destination municipalities sets out the direction for the next few years, with six focus areas defined for the current business year. Zermatt Tourism is committed to providing information that is even more guest-focused and to improving employee expertise through targeted training, for example.
World Cup races in Zermatt in autumn 2022
Representatives of the World Cup races in Zermatt/Cervinia were available at the Zermatt Tourism AGM to answer members' questions about the inaugural staging of the races next autumn. OC President Franz Julen and CEO Christian Ziörjen emphasised the need for all destinations to pull together, stressing the importance of accommodation capacity, catering provision and the willingness of volunteers.