Alps Tourism: 120+ Million Visitors in 2018/19 Winter Season

According to UNWTO, the Alps attracted over 120 million tourist visits in the 2018/19 winter season—a 5.6% increase year-over-year.

Why the Alps Dominate

• Winter sports: World-class skiing, snowboarding, ice skating across 8 countries.
• Summer appeal: Hiking, climbing, cycling, paragliding, cultural festivals.
• Accessibility: Dense rail/road network; major airports (Geneva, Zurich, Milan, Munich, Innsbruck).
• Infrastructure: 10,000+ lifts, 50,000 km pistes, vast hut system.
• Year-round draw: Spas, wellness, gastronomy, UNESCO sites (Dolomites, Jungfrau-Aletsch).

The Alps are Europe's premier mountain playground—economic engine and ecological treasure.