Industry News
Rumors of merging Austria’s famed KitzSki and SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser–Brixental ski areas are gaining momentum again, with new talks underway that could create the world’s largest ski area.
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The technical, logistical, and political hurdles of linking KitzSki (Kitzbühel and Kirchberg) with SkiWelt seemed insurmountable for years. Now, both sides are signaling readiness to move forward. KitzSki’s management has initiated discussions with Westendorf, a key gateway on the SkiWelt side, marking the first step toward integration.
While no formal meetings have occurred, KitzSki Chairman Anton Bodner and Westendorf Director Stefan Grafl confirmed the renewed efforts in recent statements to the local newspaper Tiroler Tageszeitung. Grafl is optimistic, calling the potential merger “the union of what has long belonged together.” Bodner, meanwhile, emphasized that the initial focus is not on building new lifts but on creating a unified ski pass—a move that would immediately benefit visitors and set the stage for deeper collaboration.
Currently, the KitzSkiWelt Tour allows skiers to access both resorts in a single day with a special ticket, covering 53-55 miles (85 to 88 kilometers) of piste and connecting a dozen villages across the Kitzbühel Alps and Wilder Kaiser region. Billed as the world’s longest ski circuit, this tour is a logistical feat, requiring 46 lifts and a brief shuttle bus ride between the two areas. Yet, a complete merger would go far beyond this, integrating Kitzbühel’s 145 miles (233 kilometers) of slopes and 58 lifts with SkiWelt’s 171 miles (275 kilometers) and 81 lifts—offering more than 310 miles (500 kilometers) of interconnected skiing, a figure that surpasses the total skiable miles in all of Germany.
Several options for linking the two areas are being considered, including a new lift between KiWest and Pengelstein or an extension of the KiWest lift to Pengelstein 2. The distance between the resorts is just one mile (1.6 kilometers), making a technical connection feasible, though any new construction would require significant investment and careful negotiation with local landowners.
The idea of merging these two giants is not new. It was first floated two decades ago when the KiWest and Pengelstein lifts were built, but negotiations stalled over land sales. Whether those obstacles can be overcome this time remains to be seen.
If successful, the merger would not create the world’s largest ski area, but it would offer a skiable expanse unmatched in Austria and a powerful new draw for international visitors. Grafl noted, “We would offer more kilometers of slopes than the whole of Germany. That alone is a huge marketing opportunity.”
