Potential Early Winter

In the hospitality industry, the answer lies in the booking relevance – namely, why do guests book with me? According to Alois Seyrling, the head of Hotel Klosterbräu, our vacationers generally ask themselves two questions: What does the hotel offer? And what does the region have to offer? While by the end of December and in January this question is usually answered by itself in Tyrol – snow, cross-country trails, ski slopes, meaning a wide outdoor offering – in November and December, it is a greater challenge to put together an appealing package.

"At the same time, this is probably where the largest growth potential lies," says TVB Managing Director Elias Walser. "If we can manage to awaken the guests' desire for winter." Alex Schmid, president of the Seefeld Merchants Association, also sees the early winter as the biggest adjustment screw for increasing value creation: "People look forward to winter. I can sell this anticipation or support it with my products." The better a region captures this joyful anticipation of winter in November and December, the more it can benefit from it.

This is exactly where the TVB comes into play. The new strategy has been significantly focused on year-round operation and emphasizes, among other things, the revitalization of the attraction Seefeld Pedestrian Zone for at least ten months – including November and December. The products "Magic of Early Winter" and "Seefeld Light Magic" are specifically aimed at this. For the entire region, there is a focus on improving and increasing the efficiency of snow-making and trail utilization. The location on a 1,200 m high plateau assists with natural white flakes. The product Winter Hiking or more broadly formulated Hiking in Winter* is also beneficial here. Because for a cozy hike that stirs anticipation for winter in early winter, a closed snow cover is not yet necessary. The first flakes that fall from the sky or the dusted mountains and treetops are sufficient.

A significant difference was made in 2025 by the earlier start of the Seefeld Christmas Market by one week, a sentiment shared by the hospitality industry, merchants, and TVB alike. The festive sparkle, punch and mulled wine, festive music, and various delicacies are warming highlights for the soul in November's grayness. The idea of a beacon of light in the dark season is also embraced by the Seefeld Light Magic and allows Tyrol's high plateau to shine from November 1st. Together with the toboggan hill and ice skating rink, an offering is created that works even with little snow.

The positive effects of the new strategy and the products resulting from it are impressively demonstrated by this year's figures. In 2025, the region recorded an increase in overnight stays of 5.4% in November, while Seefeld achieved as much as 15.4%. In December, 14.3% more guests stayed in the region, and in Seefeld 17.7%. Arrivals also saw a significant increase of 12.4% regionally and 15.6% in Seefeld. Looking at the anonymized stay data from the Seefeld pedestrian zone, there is a 22% increase in the total number of visitors and a 22% increase in the daily average in November. The increase is particularly noticeable during the additional Christmas market week. In December, there was a 27% increase in both the total number of visitors and the daily average. Interestingly, December outperformed the month of August, which is usually considered to be very strong and busy. Overall, from December 1 to December 31, 2025, there were 32% more guests in the village than from August 1 to August 31, 2025. The daily average was also 32%. In 2024, December was also busier than August, but only by 11%.

That these guests do not just come to look around and enjoy can be clearly confirmed by Seyrling, Schmid, and also Jürgen Armbruster, treasurer of the Seefeld merchants. "The sales figures are up for everyone," says Armbruster. Even in his jewelry store, which traditionally writes strong numbers in November/December due to its products, the increase is noticeable. Schmid is reporting massive increases in his stores – shoes and fashion. "The additional week of the Christmas market brings a strong 20% increase." Additionally, he knows from colleagues that this year's St. Nicholas weekend brought in revenues like the Christmas days usually do. "For me personally, sales in November 2025 were better than in March, despite the 2025 spring edition of the market days," says Schmid. It is also important to him to understand that the focus should not only be on the overnight guests. "Because day visitors contribute significantly as well. If we create an attractive offer for them in early winter, the holiday guests ultimately benefit from the larger, open infrastructure." "This ultimately reflects in a better booking situation," confirms hotelier Seyrling. He hopes, not least as chairman of the TVB, that more and more businesses – whether hotel, restaurant, or merchants – will open or stay open in early winter and carry forward the positive atmosphere.

With the right product, it seems that anticipation is not only the happiest joy, but also one of the most profitable on Tyrol's high plateau.