Zermatt, Switzerland
Zermatt is one of the oldest and most well established mountain resorts in the European Alps. In 1998, Ecosign started master planning for Zermatt Matterhornbahnen AG, one of the several lift companies that operated on the Matterhorn in Zermatt, Switzerland. Since that time, Ecosign also completed master plans for Matterhornbahnen AG, Zermatter-Rothorn AG and the Village Study for the Gemeinde of Zermatt. After completing master plans for each area that were based on a competitive nature, Ecosign recommended that the areas consider merging to take advantage of operational efficiencies and improve the guest experience. The five lift companies in Zermatt merged into one company in the Fall of 2002 and Ecosign prepared a master plan for the new company Zermatt Bergbahnen AG.
Since the merger completed in 2002, Zermatt Bergbahnen AG has already invested more than CFH 216m in implementing the Ecosign Master Plan. The most important projects include:
- Construction of the Matterhorn Express eight passenger gondola Zermatt-Furi-Schwarzsee.
- Six seater chairlift with hoods, Furggsattel Gletscherbahn.
- Six seater chairlift with hoods, Gifthittli.
- Extension of the Gandegg ski lift.
- The Sunnegga-Blauherd combibahn; eight seat gondola and six seat chairlift.
- New eight passenger gondola Furi-Schweigmatten-Riffelberg.
- Four seater, two section chairlift Sunnegga-Findeln-Breitboden.
- Stockhorn ski lift.
Zermatt Bergbahnen AG has also made extensive investments in accessing water for use in snowmaking; more than triple the amount of snowmaking coverage during the past six years to over 100 kilometers of slopes with artificial snow equipment.
Annual skier days have risen about seventy-five percent to 1.4 million ski passes and an additional 430,000 summer lift tickets. These investments have been paying off with operating income rising to CHF 65m and EBITDA of CHF 33m. The Zermatt Bergbahnen AG is on a very solid track for the future.
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