The leading Swiss resort of Zermatt is reported to be leading a group of Swiss resorts considering funding an indoor snow centre in one of the country’s major metropolitan areas to try to boost the numbers of skiers and boarders entering the sport, reported to be declining at a rate of ten percent per year.

Indoor snow centres are reported to be each introducing as many as 100,000 new skiers and boarders to wintersports each year.

A budget of 70 million Swiss Francs has been proposed for the project, which envisages a 300m long slope. According to website Swissinfo, some critics have suggested that the money would be better spent promoting Swiss ski resorts in existing indoor snow centres in Germany and Holland.

However supporters of the project, who recently toured German facilities, said that they particularly wanted to target the declining Swiss domestic market which typically makes up two thirds of visitors to Swiss resorts. They also noted that most existing halls were owned or heavily sponsored by Austrian ski resorts and regions.

---