Every year at the Tourism Day, organised by Saalfelden Leogang Touristik, exciting presentations by well-known speakers and personalities await all entrepreneurs in the region. This year, Benny Pregenzer, Managing Director of Bergbahnen Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis and Wolfgang Fasching, extreme sportsman and mental coach, were invited to Saalfelden Leogang to motivate and inspire entrepreneurs and employees for the winter season. The evening was opened by Hannes Riedlsperger (TVB Chairman Saalfelden), Christoph Schmuck (TVB Chairman Leogang) and Marco Pointner (Managing Director of Saalfelden Leogang Touristik), among others with the new brand video created in 2023, which illustrates the goals and values of the Saalfelden Leogang region and gives an exciting insight into the positioning and persona. Saalfelden Leogang is one of the leading year-round destinations in the Alpine region. 365 days a year, it offers a living space rich in contrasts and a high-quality experience. Measures such as continuous product development in the focus areas of biking, hiking, culture, alpine skiing and Nordic skiing as well as year-round marketing activities contribute to this success. Thanks to targeted brand positioning and strengthening of the off-seasons, Saalfelden Leogang was once again able to generate around one million overnight stays, thus catching up with the pre-corona level. However, the number of overnight stays is not the decisive success criterion for Saalfelden Leogang Touristik. The region has set itself the goal of becoming the Alpine destination with the highest added value in the Alps. The aim is to increase value creation in the entire region, strengthen regional economic cycles and thus create a high-quality living and recreational space in Saalfelden Leogang. This requires a clear positioning of the brand, perfect interaction between all service partners and a high quality of service. The fact that the region is on the right track is confirmed by the numerous awards that the tourism association has received in 2023, such as the ‘Best in Travel’ award from Lonely Planet, the coveted UCI Bike Region Label, second place at the VICTOR awards as Sports Tourism Region of the Year, bronze at the T.A.I. Advertising Grand Prix and much more. ‘These awards are an important recognition of our efforts in recent years and spur us on as a team to continue realising innovative projects and events in the areas of sport, tourism and culture in the future,’ says Marco Pointner. Saalfelden Leogang is one of the most important tourist destinations in Austria. This is only possible because the various service partners in the region pull together. The hosts in the region, mostly local families who have been running their businesses for generations, always have their finger on the pulse and offer relaxation and enjoyment all year round. They are constantly developing in terms of quality and with a wealth of ideas. The employees and locals who make Saalfelden Leogang so unique are also crucial to its success. In order for Saalfelden Leogang to continue to operate successfully on the market in the future, it is of great importance that all partners work together in the same direction, that a high quality of service is offered and that the goals and values of the region are reflected in the businesses and their employees. The evening's presentations were entitled ‘Motivation & Inspiration’: Benny Pregenzer, Managing Director of Bergbahnen Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, was the first speaker to take to the stage. ‘We are Family’ is the motto of the family-friendly holiday region of Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis on the Tyrolean sun plateau. How do you manage to be the best holiday region for guests and locals, especially for their families? The region has set itself this question and is leading by example. From ski schools, children's restaurants, baby care for skiers, ski and pushchair hire stations to accessibility on the mountain and in the valley, an ‘all-round service’ is offered. Service excellence is just as important here as the motto ‘We are Family’. Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, which is one of the most renowned family destinations in Europe, has more than 70% regular guests. A presentation by Wolfgang Fasching, extreme sportsman and mental coach, rounded off the evening. He attributes his top performances as a cyclist and mountaineer to more than just physical strength. His motivational talk ‘You can do what you want’ shows how important mental strength is and what opportunities it opens up. You can do what you want - with this attitude, almost anything is possible, there are no limits to what you can achieve. It is important to embrace failure, be courageous, leave your comfort zone, live in the ‘now’ and work in an experience-orientated way. These are some of the basic ingredients for the recipe for success. Fasching explained the power of thoughts, how they shape our lives and how we can use them to go through life stronger, healthier and more successful. All participants of the Tourism Day received his book ‘The Power of Thought’ as a gift and inspiration. After the exciting presentations, the participants were invited to enjoy regional delicacies and refreshments and were able to round off the successful Tourism Day with discussions with the speakers.
In seven categories, the #VICTOR, initiated by the well-known Sport Business magazine, honours outstanding people, initiatives, products and services in the sports and leisure industry, thereby underlining the important economic and social connection between sport and business. Saalfelden Leogang, part of Austria's largest bike region, was able to impress with its exceptional offers in the field of sport and tourism. The region is internationally recognised as the venue for the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup and attracts numerous sports enthusiasts every year. However, not only mountain bikers, but also winter sports enthusiasts have a wide range of options to choose from. Saalfelden Leogang is therefore one of the best sports tourism regions in the country alongside the Klagenfurt tourism region, which took first place in this category. The winners of the Sports Tourism Region of the Year category were determined based on official submissions, suggestions from laudators, industry and technical experts and extensive research by the editorial team. Five nominees were selected by the editorial team and prepared for the final voting phase. Over 27,000 individual votes were collected during a four-week online voting period. The prestige of the award is also reflected in the award winners - including ÖFB team boss Ralf Ragnick and Salzburg Ski Association President Bartl Gensbichler, who received their #VICTOR for Sports Manager of the Year and Lifetime Achievement respectively. Saalfelden Leogang's Managing Director of Tourism Marco Pointner, who accepted the award on behalf of the region at Casino Salzburg in front of over 60 invited guests from the worlds of sport, politics and business, was delighted to come second: "We are constantly working to make the region more attractive as a sports, tourism and leisure destination. Being honoured with the silver #VICTOR is recognition of these efforts and encourages us as a team to continue implementing innovative projects and events in the field of sport and tourism in the future." Photocredit: Sport Business Magazin
Saalfelden Leogang can therefore rightly call itself a ‘toque region’ once again. The toques, or chef's hats, awarded by Gault&Millau are roughly equivalent in Austria to the Michelin Guide stars in Germany. Innovative award-winning cuisine - gourmet restaurant ‘dahoam’ at the Genießerhotel Riederalm in Leogang receives fourth toque Chef and Jeunes Restaurateur (JRE) Andreas Herbst has been awarded a fourth toque and 17 points for the ‘dahoam’ restaurant. The name ‘dahoam’ says it all, as Herbst uses almost exclusively regional products of the highest quality from local producers and herbs from his own garden for his cuisine. The restaurant also boasts a fantastic view of the Leoganger Steinberge mountains and an urban design: a curtain of delicate brass chains runs around the large round tables, enclosing each of the small dining areas. A specially developed acoustic ceiling emphasises the very personal, quiet atmosphere. Gault&Millau is enthusiastic: ‘Patron and chef Andreas Herbst composes small-scale masterpieces of flavours, textures and temperatures from foodstuffs from his immediate surroundings. His menus are proof of the finesse and power of Alpine cuisine. Milk-fed veal confit and braised in mountain pine butter takes on an alpine flavour like rarely before. The celeriac cooked in the oven, the fermented pepperoni and the cabbage sprout cream and leaves do not let the meat down with their perfect consistency and flavour. The drinks menu offers a remarkable non-alcoholic section. The wine list rivals the best in the country in terms of variety and depth of vintage.’. Andreas Herbst on the rating: ‘The best cuisine is only possible with the best ingredients! We are very proud that we source the majority of the products we use from Saalfelden Leogang and our region and are a pioneer in this respect.’ The Kirchenwirt in Leogang: four-toque cuisine in a listed ambience and wine list of the year 2024 The 700-year-old gourmet inn is one of the oldest in Salzburgerland, dating back to 1326. Siblings Barbara Kottke and Hans-Jörg Unterrainer have succeeded in transforming this venerable monument into a charming boutique hotel with great sensitivity. The K1326 team with head chef Stefan Birnbacher was once again able to emphasise four toques for the historic Kirchenwirt in Leogang. The creative alpine cuisine names its outstanding products with original names such as ‘Alpenhauptkamm’ or ‘Gipfelglück’. ‘The menu, which the Kirchenwirt calls the ‘K1326 Menu’ (after the first documented mention of the Kirchenwirt), starts with a course called ‘Alpenglow’. Chamois sausage (from the family's own hunt), truffle buttermilk (as a candle that melts on the table), poacher's root and Steckerlbrot. The actual greeting from the kitchen, a small tart with tartar and char caviar, is served on an empty Rochelt bottle. Very creative. But then comes the first real course - and it already tells a very exciting story. Marinated Alpine salmon. One with lardo, kohlrabi and monk's beard, the other with hemp nut. The stock in which the Alpine salmon swims is exceptional. It is a saffron broth and the extraordinary thing is that the saffron comes from Leogang. Small projects that the hosts are always up for. The dish itself is also exceptional in flavour.... Before ordering the menu, be sure to take a look at the pub menu. You can also add dishes from this menu to the menu and should do so. Here, for example, you will find sour kidney noodles from milk-fed veal with wild herbs and curd cheese dumplings. The wine expertise at the Kirchenwirt is a chapter in itself anyway. Hard to beat,’ writes Gault&Millau about the four toques and 17-point cuisine at the Kirchenwirt. The wine cellar, which is stocked with rarities by host, sommelier and Jeunes Restaurateur (JRE) Hans-Jörg Unterrainer, is also outstanding. The ex-professional snowboarder passionately curates one of the best wine lists in Austria, which is why Gault&Millau has honoured the Kirchenwirt with the ‘Austrian Wine List of the Year 2024’. ‘The line is classic, the depth of vintage is breathtaking and the number of local rarities is staggering,’ says the review. Three toques for Michael Helfrich's restaurant at the Forsthofgut in Leogang Really good food. What sounds so simple is, according to Gault&Millau, the restaurant with the third highest honour in the Saalfelden Leogang region: the ‘echt. gut essen.’ at the Naturhotel Forsthofgut. Toque-awarded chef Michael Helfrich was able to impress in his small à la carte restaurant, where he serves a maximum of ten guests, and was awarded 3 toques and 16 out of 20 possible points. Gault&Millau writes about his cuisine: ‘The dining room is surrounded by glass-fronted wine cabinets, the hotel kitchen and the open-plan fine dining kitchen: Three small chef's tables are placed here, which are exclusively cooked for by a chef and served by a maître - a unique setting! There is a choice of an eight-course menu or a ‘surprise menu’ reduced to five courses. Children can also order dishes from the hotel restaurant. The lake trout ceviche plays a spicy-fresh starring role in an ensemble of wafer-thin Granny Smith slices, cucumber emulsion and iced horseradish foam. The sea bass with portobello strips and a deep porcini mushroom broth makes us cheer.... The wine and drinks list is great cinema. The non-alcoholic accompaniments to the menus are among the best in the country.’ Front cooking for high culinary standards in the two-toque restaurant Ess:enz In the Ess:enz restaurant in the new Heaven Spa at the 4****S Naturresort Puradies in Leogang, dishes are created using local produce and the hotel's own organic farm. The kitchen team has once again been awarded 2 toques and 13 points for Ess:enz. The pure and innovative concept is called ‘Garden of Eating’ and fulfils the highest culinary demands, which culminate in the front cooking. Gault&Millau writes: ‘With an attractively priced three-course menu, we start with an excellently seasoned wild garlic soup: creamy, delicately piquant, well-balanced garlic flavours. The veal fillet with two different sauces and wild broccoli is a signature dish of the house - a safe bet. The homemade pasta (‘Trottole’) is the surprise of the dinner: the ensemble with celery cream and freshly sliced truffle is outstanding....!’ The organic Hotel Rupertus receives a toque The Hotel Rupertus in Leogang has been offering organic-certified enjoyment and relaxation since 1977. ‘100% organic ingredients creatively interpreted Alpine cuisine and vegan plant power’ is the motto with which the kitchen team at the Rupertus was awarded a toque and 12.5 points. ‘At the Biohotel Rupertus, à la carte guests can also choose any individual course they like from the two three- and five-course menus (meat/fish or vegan/plant-based). In keeping with the hotel's standards, everything is certified organic. All suppliers (also called partners by Rupertus) are presented. A very good start with boiled beef aspic, sour cream and bread crisps. The fried char Mullerin style with parsley potatoes, almonds and lemon sauce is excellently prepared and nicely served. The dessert is delicious: banana tart with curd ice cream. Friendly service and a good selection of drinks with an impressive - and rather unique - organic bar,’ reads the Gault&Millau review.
The active sports club organizes a variety of events throughout the year and thus makes an important contribution to tourism in the region in addition to the promotion of young talent. It is an award that has a long tradition in Saalfelden Leogang and annually honors institutions, associations or individuals who have earned themselves with special commitment and personal commitment in tourism. This year it is the SC Leogang that receives the tourism award of the Saalfelden Leogang Tourismik. With its four divisions Ski Alpine, Football, Nordic and Running/Touring Sports and over 900 members, SC Leogang is one of the largest clubs in Leogang. In addition to a very active club life, the focus is on offering young people an opportunity to find their way towards competitive sports together with professional coaches: for example, more than 100 children are supported with great personal commitment by the coaches in the youth football field, more than 60 are already in the Nordic sports. In winter, the SC Leogang is an important regional partner in addition to training young people in the Alps, due to the organization of numerous ski races, such as the FIS CIT race in January, or the Austrian Championships in cross-country skiing and biathlon, as well as due to the active running and touring club. The SC Leogang also receives the Tourism Award for its commitment to the maintenance of various sports venues and its activities at countless events with national and international appeal. It is only through the support of the members of SC Leogang, for example, that the training camps of the international football clubs, for which the region is known beyond its borders, are made possible. The same applies to the participation in the UCI Mountainbike World Cup. But also events organized by the SC Leogang itself, such as the Sonnberglauf, attract numerous participants to the region. Representative of the great commitment of the members, Saalfelden Leogang Touristik Managing Director Marco Pointner recently presented the award at the Hotel Krallerhof in Leogang to the Chairman of SC Leogang, Elias Bierbaumer: “We chose SC Leogang this year because the main association and its sub-clubs are very active and hold a large number of events throughout the year. They also support us at many events, such as the UCI Mountainbike World Cup, where we are glad to be able to rely on the many volunteers of SC Leogang”, says Pointner. Elias Bierbaumer was delighted with the award: “We are extremely proud that the extensive volunteer work of the main association and the four sub-clubs is being honoured in this way. ”
In Saalfelden Leogang there are numerous opportunities during the Advent season to usher in the quietest time of the year with contemplation, customs and culinary delights. Particularly unique for the Pinzgau is the custom of the schiachperchten, the tresterer and the old tradition of the Bachlschnitt. Advent is approaching. In Saalfelden Leogang you can enjoy the contemplative Advent season with everything your heart desires - from traditional customs to culinary delicacies to inner relaxation. From November 30th, the Christkindlmarkt under the chestnut tree in Obere Lofererstrasse will open its doors every Thursday until Christmas. From 5 p. m. to 9 p. m. , there is the opportunity to stroll through the streets, do Christmas shopping and get in the mood for the upcoming festival with Punch and Maronis. Tales of Devils, Ochs and Donkeys On December 7th it will be devilish from 7 pm at the Steinbergstadion in Leogang. At the Leoganger Krampusrummel, which the Loigoma Graum Toife organizes, only Santa brings a smile to the children's faces before the fiery bustle of the participating passes rages. On the 8th of December at Asitzbreu Leogang from 8 p. m. “TONspur meets SCHIspur”. On stage comes “Auf Wiederkaun”, a nativity story from the perspective of Ochs and Donkeys. The story is told by graphic artist, author and actor Wast Huber, musically framed by the So&So band. “Bachlschneider” and Tresterer as a regional tradition On the 15th of December from 1 pm to 5 pm, a very special trade-off for the commercial advent will take place in the Leogang steelworks: the “Bachlschneider”. The tradition goes back to the tradition that at Christmas time families needed a well-honed knife to cut the hard-baked loaves and fresh bacon. For this reason, the great natural grinding stone is still rolled every year in the mill – so don’t forget knives! On December 21st at 4 p. m. , the Tresterers will meet at the Museum Schloss Ritzen. The acting and dancing figures of the Schoenperchten native to Salzburg’s Pinzgau region are a centuries-old custom and promise visitors rich harvest blessings, fertility, happiness and health. These are just a few highlights among many that make the pre-Christmas period in Saalfelden Leogang very special. Further information: https://www.saalfelden-leogang.com/advent
With almost 80,000 “Mountain Biker Days” (equivalent to Skier Days), the Leoganger Bergbahnen cable car company recorded an increase of 13 percent compared to the previous year. If you look at the development since 2018, the huge tourism potential of mountain biking becomes even more evident. When the Leoganger Bergbahnen and the Saalfelden Leogang tourist board set the course for mountain biking over 20 years ago and created the Epic Bikepark Leogang – now one of the most renowned bike parks in Europe – mountain biking as a popular sport was still in its infancy. Today’s numbers show that the Austrian mountain bike pioneers had the right instinct back then. Leogang’s Mountain bike tourism accounted for around 13 % of total turnover in the 2022/2023 financial year - more than all other summer activities combined. What may not sound like much compared to the top dog, skiing, is quickly put into perspective when you take into account the number of lifts in operation, transport capacities and kilometers of slopes. In 2023 alone, the mountain bike operations recorded a 13 % increase in Mountain Biker Days compared to the previous year. Furthermore, the Online Bikebonus, a sunny summer and a perfect autumn ensured strong sales growth. A look at the recent past also confirms the upswing in mountain biking. If you look at the last five years, the number of Mountain Biker Days has increased by as much as 70 percent. The number of cable car rides in the bike park has also seen steep growth over the past ten years: from around 150,000 (2014) to over 260,000 (2023) rides per year. Through targeted brand positioning and strengthening of the off-seasons, the number of hotel overnight stays has also grown to around one million per year, of which almost 50 percent are already accounted for by the summer season. In addition to the hotels, the local bike schools are also registering a growing number of inquiries, too – this is particularly noticeable regarding tours and trainings for good to advanced riders. Beginner courses are mainly attended by families looking for a counterpart or substitute to winter sports. Marketing: Events, influencers & partners Although these figures are cause for celebration in Saalfelden Leogang, they don’t come as surprise. Rather, they are the result of targeted development and a sustainable appreciation of mountain bike tourism. The well-developed infrastructure of lines & trails, mountain railroads, hotels, stores, etc. is tailored to bike guests, while the constant further development of the offer is part of the mountain bike hotspot's DNA. In 2023, this included the soft opening of the AlteSchmiede Trail, the extension of the bike season until the beginning of November and the newly introduced Online Bikebonus, a dynamic pricing system that has been well received by bike guests and has been used many times. Saalfelden Leogang was able to achieve a significant increase in Mountain Biker Days, particularly in the early and late season. The local hotel industry has also adapted to this and invested more in services for mountain bikers, such as lockable bike cellars, tools for hire and a laundry service for dirty bike clothing. Some hotels also offer their guests their own bike rental service and in some cases even have their own bike guides who provide tour suggestions directly from the hotel. In addition to marketing measures with extraordinary appeal, such as hosting the Mountain Bike World Championships in 2012, 2020 and 2028 or the annual Mountain Bike World Cup in Saalfelden Leogang, the Austrian bike destination repeatedly generates a lot of attention with targeted individual measures, most recently with an all-female edit featuring the leader of FMB World Women’s Ranking, Patricia Druwen. In addition to this and numerous other forms of influencer activations, the activation of their partners also plays a major role for Saalfelden Leogang, best showcased with the aforementioned video clip, as the ladies were riding on the Hot Shots Fired by GoPro Line.
A new initiative to promote winter sports in the Alps was launched in Innsbruck today. The aim of the cross-country campaign is to teach 50,000 children to ski or snowboard for free over the next three years. The program was initiated by industry veteran Mike Partel of Mountain-Management Consulting. In 2023/24 Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis and Saalfelden Leogang will start in Austria, the Aletsch Arena and Grindelwald in Switzerland and Alta Badia and Madonna di Campiglio in Italy. The first six ski resorts will roll out the white carpet in the upcoming ski season for 200 small pisters, aged 3-5 years. The all-round carefree package includes 5 days of half-day ski lessons, rental equipment, lift ticket and even the overnight stay in the parents' room in the partner accommodation (in Saalfelden Leogang: Biohotel Rupertus, Hotel Salzburger Hof, Hotel Leonhard, Hotel Puradies, Hotel Krallerhof). The campaign is supported by the tourist associations, local ski schools, mountain railways, rental stations, accommodation as well as the generous support of Leitner, Doppelmayr, Pistenbully, TechnoAlpin, Sitour, Skidata, Sunkid as sponsors of the winter sports industry. The offer is intended to help parents to get their children excited about skiing at an early stage. “To move around in the fresh air. To experience nature with a lot of fun – together with other children and with the family. These are good arguments for allowing children to ski and immerse themselves in the winter wonderland of the Alps. ” says Stefan Mangott, co-initiator and managing director at Seilbahn Komperdell GmbH in Serfaus. Larger ski resorts increasingly see themselves in the responsibility of reaching out more to young people. Small and low-lying areas, which have hitherto been particularly suited to beginners, are increasingly under threat due to climate change and the associated snow problems. Some have already had to shut down operations. ” The initiators specify: “In addition to the existing funding offers, which are mostly addressed to children of school age, the Alpine regions see themselves as a “first move to snow”. The initiative is based on the understanding that the “promoters” of winter sports are first and foremost parents and grandparents. That they can pass on their enthusiasm for the sport at an early stage and should be supported to do so. "I don't think so," he said. https://www.saalfelden-leogang.com/en/region-experience/ski-and-snowboard/kidsonski
Five concerts will be organised at the Kunsthaus Nexus Saalfelden, two concerts at the Mining- and Gothic Museum Leogang, one at the Stöcklalm on the Asitz mountain and, for the first time, one in the Saalfelden parish church. On Thursday, 25 January 2024, Kunsthaus Nexus will be showing the documentary film in german language " Jazz Saalfelden 2023 – Vor und hinter den Bühnen“ (means: Jazz Saalfelden 2023 - in front of and behind the stages) to set the mood for the festival weekend. A film produced by Hans Fuchs in cooperation with Kristina Drexel and Robert Lorenz - HIRE-PARC Ateliers, for the online format "SO-Magazin". This documentary about the well-known Jazzfestival Saalfelden not only focuses on the variety of concerts and the special venues, but also provides a look behind the scenes of the festival and employees tell exciting and interesting stories. This year, the Saalfelden parish church will celebrate its premiere as a venue for the 3 Days of Jazz Festival. The Festival 2024 will be opened here in a very special setting. The saxophonist and composer from Estonia, Maria Faust, will perform an expressive, melancholic and at the same time modern solo called "MOnuMENT". Faust will present the project not only with her saxophone, but also using electronic pedals and effects. Afterwards, the Janick Martin Trio from France invites you to the Kunsthaus Nexus under the title "Sông Song", followed by the Monika Roscher Big Band - a prog big band between maths jazz, avant-pop and electronica. The band, a wild 18-member collective of virtuoso individualists that has grown together over many years, celebrates musical freedom, challenge and mutual inspiration. Austrian pianist Simon Raab will open the festival Saturday at Nexus with his solo project "those things falling". The American formation "Mary Halvorson Amaryllis Sextet" will then perform. The album, released in 2022, is considered one of the most exciting of the year and has been ranked at the top of numerous best lists. Vincent Peirani from France, Federico Casagrande from Italy and Ziv Ravitz from Israel will then provide a special stage experience with their project "Jokers": whether as soloists, rhythmists or accentuators, the idea behind this line-up is the spontaneous interplay of musical roles. As always, the 3 Days of Jazz Festival concludes on Sunday in the historic Mining- and Gothic Museum Leogang. The Austrian duo, formed by Flora Geißelbrecht and Paul Schuberth, enters into a liaison with new music, improvisation, political song and double conférence. The Austrian-Czech trio Vedovelli/Flagar/Eberle will then bring another 3 Days of Jazz edition to a close with compact chamber music sounds. The local band ACÖUSTIC FRÖNT invites you to a free concert at the Stöcklalm on the Asitz on Saturday. A versatile four-member acoustic rock cover band that is characterised by its ability to acoustically reinterpret well-known rock hits by AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Jimi Hendrix and many more. Tickets and Information: www.jazzsaalfelden.com/3tagejazz
Experience the spirit of the Home of Lässig For those who are not already familiar with the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieber-brunn, the first thing you will grin about is the long name. However, just as long as the name is are the list of opportunities in the coolest ski region of the Alps. The region, which covers two Austrian states, not only combines 270 kilometres of piste, 70 modern lifts and 60 cosy, stylish huts but also has a special feeling: The spirit of the Home of Lässig – or in other words: the pure feeling of happi-ness! This feeling is what fun-loving families, sporty Alpine skiers and freeriders will all find here. How do you define this feeling of happiness? For some, it is the caring attitude and warmth that is experienced from the hotel to the ski school – for others, it is the perfection of the prepared pistes and the ultra-modern lifts. Or is it the deep virgin snow and the “face shots” that bring a smile to your face? The Home of Lässig is all about joie de vivre, cosiness, and variety, for a diversified and unique experience, that will live forever in your memory. What is your personal feeling of happiness? Planned start on 1 December 2023! ______ New in Winter 2023/24 A5 Limberg 8er in Saalbach After 29 years and over 15 million guests, the Limberg 4-seater is is being retired and will be re-placed by a modern 8-seater chairlift. Facts: • Start of construction: April 2023 • Completion: November 2023 • Capacity: 3,600 persons per hour • Length: 1370 m • Speed: 6 m/sec • Height difference: 449,5 m • Travel time: 4.45 min The Home of Lässig continues to invest in renewable energy and CO₂ reduc-tion In total, Austria's mountain railways are the country's second largest provider of electric mobility. The energy required for this comes 100% from renewable energy sources in the vast majority of regions. In order to be able to use this sustainable form of energy in the future, the Skicircus Saal-bach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn is increasingly relying on its own production of electricity from water, solar and wind power. This year, in addition to the existing photovoltaic systems, the largest photovoltaic system in the ski area - on the façade of the new Limberg 8er valley station - will be put into operation. In addition, new types of wind turbines are to be installed at the top station, so that in future a large part of the energy needed to operate the new lift can be generated by the resort itself. In Hinterglemm, the Wiesermühle hydroelectric power plant, which is also being built by the moun-tain railways, is nearing completion. With a projected annual energy output of 1,800,000 kilowatt-hours (1.8 GWh) - equivalent to the average annual energy demand of over 400 households - this plant is a real game-changer and will make a significant contribution to the self-production of re-newable energy for the operation of the cable car facilities in the future. But the focus is also on the most environmentally friendly operation of the piste equipment, work machines and team buses. For example, the Skicircus is now increasingly using "bio fuel" (HVO100 regenerative fuel), which is made from 100 per cent renewable raw materials. This fuel is not only intended to gradually replace fossil fuels in the ski area, but also reduces CO₂ emissions by up to 90%. Leogang in particular is the first mountain railway in Austria to rely entirely on this "plant power" and thus plays a pioneering role in the industry. For years, the mountain railway companies in the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieber-brunn have been investing in ecological, economic and social sustainability and will continue to do so in the future. Topics such as energy efficiency, environmental protection, renewable energy and regional management are consistently advanced. Timoks Expedition in Fieberbrunn The new Fun Line "Timok's Expedition" promises lots of fun & adventure for the whole family on slope 104 at the F6 Zillstattlift in Fieberbrunn. Timok - the little explorer-checker - awaits you on his expedition ride with, among other things, rapid snow waves & curves, a tunnel passage and a speed measurement. Let yourself be surprised! Learn to Ski: Free ski instructors for school groups in Saalbach Hinterglemm During selected promotional periods, ski instructors for beginners will be provided free of charge as part of school ski courses in cooperation with the Saalbach Hinterglemm Tourism Board and Ski Aus-tria as well as the Salzburger Land Tourism GmbH. The desired number of ski instructors can be requested through the youth guesthouses up to one month before arrival, so teachers do not have to worry about anything else. This should help to anchor skiing in the minds of the pupils as a posi-tive experience and thus train the skiers of tomorrow. Promotion periods in winter 2023/24 11 - 22 December 2023 11 - 22 March 2024 Promotion periods in winter 2024/25 9 to 20 December 2024 7 to 10 January 2025 24 March to 4 April 2025 New Speedcheck at the Kohlmais Race down the slopes like a racer and record your personal top speed with photo proof? This is not only possible in Fieberbrunn, Leogang and Hinterglemm, but also in Saalbach as of this winter. The speed check can be found at the Kohlmais, in the area of the H4 Panorama 6er. ALPIN CARD Top 10 Trophy If THE CHALLENGE in the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn is not enough of a challenge for you, you can take on the ALPIN CARD Top 10 Trophy starting this winter! Those who manage to ride the ten selected lifts in the entire ALPIN CARD network in one to three days will win an ALPIN CARD drinking bottle as an instant prize. All Trophy winners will also be entered into a draw for top prizes.
Great award for Saalfelden Leogang. The renowned travel publisher “Lonely Planet” has chosen the region among the top 10 of the best holiday destinations in the world. As the only tourism region in Austria, Saalfelden Leogang has made it into the 224-page anniversary edition, which this year is under the motto “50 destinations for 50 years of travel”. For the annual “Best in Travel” edition, a total of 220 experts are interviewed and the most up-and-coming travel hotspots and hottest insider tips in the world are chosen. “For us, this is a great award and, above all, a great international advertisement. Lonely Planet is one of the most successful independent travel publishers in the world and known for the high quality of its travel information. On its website alone, around five million visitors are counted every day, Lonely Planet is very important in the English-speaking markets,” says Marco Pointner, Managing Director of Saalfelden Leogang Touristik GmbH. The importance of publishing in the travel industry is illustrated by the following figures: Lonely Planet employs a total of 400 people in offices in Melbourne, Oakland and London who travel around the globe all year round. In total, the publisher has more than 500 titles in its program, of which about 270 travel guides. The credo is: reliable information, researched by authors who do not hold back their opinions. Lonely Planet has received several awards for its books and travel guides. Among the top 10 best holiday destinations for 2024 are countries such as Mongolia, India and Morocco, the Basque Country, Kangaroo Island, Tuscany and cities such as Nairobi, Prague and Montreal.
