Ischgl hot’n’cold

On opening day, at 2,300m high, in the Idalp area of Ischgl, one could hear Katy Perry’s “Hot’n’Cold” blaring out. The American singer performed in front of an over 20,000-strong audience who came especially for the mountaintop concert. Ischgl, also known as the Ibiza of the Alps, and one of the most exclusive and vibrant resorts in Austria, debuted strongly in a season when the financial crisis is making players in the industry anxious.

The resort that can accommodate 11,000 was filled with twice as many tourists. Katy Perry’s show is just one of the Top of the Mountain concerts, which have in the past featured performances from the likes of Elton John, Tina Turner, Bon Jovi and Pink. The three Top of the Mountain events organised during the ski season (November-May) together draw a total of over 60,000 tourists. This season is set to end with an Alicia Keys concert, on May 1st.

Moreover, inspired by the success of the concept, which is already almost 20 years old, those in charge of promoting Ischgl have organised 12 events for the duration of the ski season, among which a snow sculptures competition, the second edition of Gastronomy World Ski Championship, and Alp Trida Concert.

Judging by the figures, the strategy appears to have worked. “The season debut was promising, in December we had 1.5% more overnight stays than last year,” explains Andreas Steibl, manager of the Paznaun-Ischgl Tourist Office, who expects almost 1.3 million tourists to come to Ischgl by the end of the season. According to data from the Austrian Tourist Office for 2009, almost 10,000 Romanians skied in Ischgl, which places it 8th among Romanians’ favourite resorts.

The manager says the crisis has not dented the tourists’ appetite for skiing, but they have a lower budget allocated to connected activities. Every event attracts different categories of tourists. For instance the fact that 60 of Austria’s and Germany’s best chefs exchange their aprons for ski suits, and compete on the ski pistes is an event that draws gastronomy buffs. Especially since in the evening the chefs go back to their “day job”, displaying their skills in a culinary show at five-star hotel Trofana Royal.