Successful winter weekend in Paznaun: sunshine, top slopes and high-calibre events delight guests

Bright sunshine, excellent slope conditions and an exceptionally varied programme of events made last weekend in Paznaun, Tyrol, a resounding success. A total of around 55,000 first-time visitors were recorded from Friday, 12 December to Sunday, 14 December in the ski resorts of Ischgl, See, Kappl and Galtür – impressive proof of the strong appeal of the entire region at the start of the winter season.

Ischgl was dominated by sporting premieres and international attention over the weekend. The Ischgl Trophy, held for the first time, celebrated its successful premiere as a new event format and brought world-class tennis to the winter mountain world. The high-calibre tournament reached its sporting climax in the final, which was won by Tommy Haas against Dominic Thiem.

On Sunday, a celebrity ski race took place on the Idalp, with Sandy Meyer-Wölden, Oliver Pocher, Tommy Haas, Stefan Koubek, Feliciano López and tournament director Tobias Bosch among those taking part. The Tyrolean winter itself became the stage: Tommy Haas achieved the best time on the race track at Schmalzkopf, before international para-athletes demonstrated their skills shortly afterwards in the giant slalom of the Para-FIS competitions.

"It's wonderful to see how different sports come together in Ischgl. Everyone competes in their own way, and everyone shares the same enthusiasm. You don't get to experience this combination of world-class tennis and snow racing every day," emphasised para-athlete Jelena Jehle from Kappl, who competed in the giant slalom at the Para-FIS competitions.

New slide track as the centrepiece of a successful winter weekend in Kappl

In Kappl, the focus on Friday, 12 December 2025, was on the grand opening of the new Diasbahn cable car. During the day, a Kästle ski test powered by Intersport Ladner, guided ski days with the Kappl ski school and winter hikes provided the perfect way to get in the mood for the winter season. In the afternoon and evening, the Diasbahn valley station was transformed into an open-air event location: DJ Benny got the guests in the mood from 4:30 p.m. onwards, before the Froschtaler provided live music until midnight, creating a lively atmosphere.

The programme continued on Saturday with skiing to your heart's content, guided winter hikes and another open-air party. DJ In-Style and an after-show party in the community centre, including a free shuttle service, rounded off the weekend in Kappl.

Ceremony at 2,130 metres: new chairlift and Family SnowPark opened

On 14 December, a new chapter in the history of mountain railways was opened in See. The modern 8-seater chairlift "Familienglück" (Family Happiness) was officially opened at 2,130 metres above sea level with a festive ceremony. The new facility is complemented by a covered conveyor belt and the new Family SnowPark. Deacon Herbert Scharler blessed the facility in the presence of Governor Anton Mattle, Member of the National Council Margreth Falkner and Mathäus Tschiderer, Managing Director of Bergbahnen See.

Afterwards, a get-together at the Medrig Alm provided an opportunity for conversation, before "Die Draufgänger" provided the musical highlight of the opening ceremony with an atmospheric concert.

Thomas Köhle, Managing Director of the Paznaun Tourism Association, drew an extremely positive conclusion: "This weekend has impressively demonstrated what Paznaun, with Ischgl, Galtür, Kappl and See, stands for: perfect slope conditions, high-quality infrastructure and an innovative variety of events that have taken the overall tourist offering to a new level in terms of quality. The fact that we were able to welcome so many winter sports enthusiasts, tennis fans and international guests at the same time confirms that we are on the right track and that all partners in the region are working closely together."

Margreth Falkner, Member of the National Council and member of the Parliament's Tourism Committee, also emphasised the importance of the successful start to the season: "A wonderful winter weekend with fantastic conditions throughout the Paznaun region – from Ischgl to Galtür to Kappl and See – impressively demonstrated the region's appeal at the start of the season. The excellent weather conditions and attractive offers in all four locations led to around 55,000 first-time visitors to the entire region over the weekend. With the additional opening of the mountain railways in Kappl and See, the overall tourist offering has been further consolidated and the overall quality of the Paznaun region has been raised to a new level, which has contributed significantly to the high demand. The successful start underlines the importance of Paznaun as a high-performance and diverse winter sports region – and sent a clear signal at the start of the winter season."

With successful lift openings, sporting premieres and strong visitor numbers, Paznaun sent a clear signal for a promising start to the 2025/26 winter season.