Modern technology supports Austria's tourism

The ski season debuts in mid September each year, and optimal conditions for winter sports last until late spring, officials say. Key to the area’s success is its use of technology. According to Wili Kruger, the marketing representative for Pitztaler Gletscherbahn, the glacier benefits from a unique technical innovation, the IDE All Weather Snowmaker. Developed in Israel, it can produce snow regardless of the temperature, humidity and wind.
The system, which produces snow directly on the slope without chemical additives, was installed at the Pitztal around the same time it was becoming operational in Zermatt, Switzerland. “Over the recent years, temperature, humidity and wind conditions on the Pitztal Glacier have often not been good in early autumn for producing regular snowfall,” explained Dr. Hans Rubatscher, manager of the Pitztal Glacier Railway. “We were therefore looking for an innovative alternative and found the IDE All Weather Snowmaker in Israel.”
Rubatscher also said that “even though the snowmaker does not depend on the temperature, we will use the snow production facility sensibly and will not create an artificial spectacle with snow in the summer. For us it is important to pursue our philosophy of sustainable ecological and economical use of this unique ski region.”
During the ski season, the high altitude offers the glacier plenty of snow on all skiing areas, including Gletscher and Rifflsee, as well as the family skiing area of Hochzeiger. All of these have altitudes above 2,000 meters.
The glacier is also a favorite among many athletes. It was even the host of the 12th IPC Alpine Skiing European Cup last year, in which over 20 nations participated.