Switzerland is a popular winter sports destination, but the days of guaranteed snow are over. Ski resorts and winter sports destinations are being forced to rethink their strategies to survive. 1. Ski resorts are changing ownership Swiss ski resorts are mainly owned by cable car and lift companies, in which local communities often hold a stake but do not have majority control. In autumn 2025, the municipalities of Flims, Laax and Falera, in canton Graubünden, made headlines when they banded together to buy their ski area, “Weisse Arena”. The citizens and local assemblies voted overwhelmingly to take over the entire area at a cost of CHF94.5 million ($123 million). The overriding aim was to prevent it from falling into the hands of foreign investors. The latter had promised to invest millions, but local stakeholders would have lost their say. Vail Resorts from the United States, the world’s largest ski resort operator, has set its sights on the Alps. It has already acquired the ski ...
