The consequences of the fight against the Corona virus and its spread now shows massive effects to the detriment of the tourist region of Arosa Lenzerheide and especially the hotel industry located there. The Arosa Bergbahnen today provide an interim balance of the 2019/20 season and speak of "shock paralysis after months of jubilation".
The following press release reaches us today:
Arosa Bergbahnen AG informs about a first interim result as of March 31, 2020 for the expiring business year 2019/2020. A fantastically beautiful summer 2019 with many sunny days and a return of guests to snow sports with excellent snow and weather conditions especially in the higher winter sports destinations such as Arosa Lenzerheide brought Arosa Bergbahnen AG strong sales growth in the business year 2019/2020. At least until the coronavirus wave hit Switzerland and the snow sports resorts had to close abruptly by official order on March 14, 2020. A painful moment and the beginning of a crisis that will affect the tourism industry in particular for a long time to come.
In the fifth edition of the November High, the first slopes at Hörnli could be opened on November 16, 2019. Although the snow windows were short and challenging due to the atmospheric conditions, it was possible to provide a wide range of offers for snow sports enthusiasts on the scheduled official start of the season in early December together with Lenzerheide. "The ceremonial opening of the new 6-seater chairlift Brüggerhorn on December 19 was a first highlight after years of planning and postponements and despite a foehn storm on the inauguration day," as Lorenzo Schmid, Chairman of the Board of Directors, notes in retrospect. The comfortable lift is very popular with guests. The coveted fresh snow until December 25 was followed by fantastic winter sports days with the best conditions over the New Year until the end of January 2020. The provisional guest and turnover figures show the following picture until the end of March 2020:
Statistics guest visits as of 31.03.2020
Statistics Sales as of 31.03.2020 (TCHF)
As of the end of February 2020, a strong increase in sales of TCHF 2,900 (+13 %) was recorded compared to the previous year; the lights were on for an extremely successful financial year. The loss of sales due to the officially imposed closure of the ski area as of March 14, 2020 is already clearly visible in the company's overall performance as of March 31, 2020. Sales decreased by TCHF 453 or 1.6 % compared to the previous year. In accommodation, the Hohenfels Hotel was transferred to the German tour operator Frosch Sportreisen on a lease at the end of September 2019. The joint snow sports resort of Arosa Lenzerheide recorded a decline of -9.7 % with a total of 1.15 million guest admissions. Looking back on the fantastic weeks of March and April, the period from the lockdown in mid-March 2020 would have been another really high-turnover snow sports days.
Nevertheless, according to its own forecasts, Arosa Bergbahnen AG has escaped with a light blue eye, as Lorenzo Schmid explains: "The mountain railway company will lose sales totaling CHF 3.7 million by the end of the fiscal year as of April 30, 2020. The reserves built up by the end of February 2020 favor the fact that, despite the Corona crisis, a respectable business result can be presented and the company remains well positioned." This will be helped by strict cost management as well as the prospect of short-time compensation for the approximately 60 annual employees and the 220 seasonal employees who will be in employment until mid-April 2020. The final results for the annual financial statements with the detailed management report will be published together with the invitation to the Annual General Meeting at the end of August 2020.
Forecast for fiscal 2020/2021
Looking ahead to the new fiscal year starting May 1, 2020, Philipp Holenstein, Director of Arosa Bergbahnen AG, expresses caution: "Despite the emerging appealing business result 2019/2020, the economic consequences regarding SARS-CoV-2/COVID19 cannot be foreseen. At this point in time, it is uncertain how quickly the easing and overcoming from the lockdown will proceed." The Board is looking at a number of scenarios. In the ideal case, a recovery sets in and domestic tourists prefer destinations in the mountain regions for excursions and vacations. In the worst case, a second pandemic wave flares up again in the fall, jeopardizing the 2020/2021 winter business. The latter scenario would be highly critical for Graubünden and the tourism industry. In these difficult times, ongoing assessments of the situation are necessary, whereby confidence and a portion of courage must not be lacking in order to continue on the chosen path of qualitative further development of the snow sports area and the mountain offers. According to Philipp Holenstein's presentation, the various projects on the mountain should also contribute to this. He gives an overview of the planned core investments in summer 2020:
- New construction of snow-making equipment for piste 12 "Diamond Slope" on the Brüggerhorn (investment CHF 4.5 million)
- Mountain restaurant Sattelhütte, renovation of roof and facade with thermal insulation (investment TCHF 700)
- New construction of ski depot Tschuggen East (with Luzi Sport, investment TCHF 350)
- Replacement of snow groomer with winch (investment TCHF 530)
- LAW 2nd section, drive revision May/June (investment TCHF 140)
Further information on the 2019/2020 financial year with the final figures will be sent to shareholders and the media by separate mail at the end of August 2020. The Annual General Meeting will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2020 and will begin, as in the previous year, at 2:30 p.m., followed by a snack/dinner in the mountain restaurants.
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