Economic impact study Winterberg gondola

After more than 15 years of planning the project of connecting the resort of Schierke located in the eastern Harz mountains to the Wurmberg, the largest ski area in the western Harz is now about to be implemented. A group of investors is to invest some 15 million euros for the construction of a 10 passenger gondola from Schierke to the Winterberg mountain. The associated snowmaking system will be built by the municipality of Wernigerode.

Because of the location of the project area in or on the Harz National Park and due to uncertain financing, this project was repeatedly delayed, although there was no doubt about the importance of the project for the development of the tourism industry in the region. How important the implementation would has now been analyzed in a study of the potential regional economic effects carried out by Montenius Consult. The basis for the calculation of thes effects was a forecast of the expected number of visitors and sales both in winter and summer.

The report issued on behalf of the investors will support the approval and financing process, so that no later than the winter 2017/18 the first German ski area that spans across two federal states (Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt) should arise.