The competence of the company in developing optimal modernisations and finding great ideas for new attractions is also leading existing ski resorts to make use of the services provided by Mountain Planning in order to improve their attractiveness.

The specialists at Mountain Planning have already developed master plans and concepts for ski resorts in Austria, Romania, Russia, Greenland, Turkey, Argentina and other countries.

One example from the current projects is in Durau, Romania  (see also SI World 2/2019 and 2/2018),  where MOUNTAIN PLANNING has created a master plan and tourist concepts for the winter and the summer season.

The company has been running this project for more than four years. During this period, Mountain Planning has built two ski lifts, two magic carpets and a snow-making system.

Specifically, two 400-metre drag lifts, one 200-metre button lift and one 100-metre conveyor have been built to replace a single, outdated drag lift. These new installations have been constructed directly by MOUNTAIN PLANNING and opened up three 400-metre ski slopes.

In addition, the snow-making facility has been expanded and modernised for winter operation, including with a reservoir.

The following will be built in 2020: a new summer park with flume, a summer toboggan run and various attractions for children. One special investment in Durau will be the construction of a cable car  (8 EUB).

Mountain Planning is responsible for planning the installation as well as project development and architectural development of the bottom and summit station. The bottom station building for the 2,033-metre cableway will be home to a restaurant, ski rental shop and ski school; the summit station will feature a panorama restaurant.

The cableway will have transport capacity of 800 to 1,800 people per hour. “The centrepiece of the summer park will be a summer toboggan run from BRANDAUER, which can be dismantled for the winter,” MOUNTAIN PLANNING Managing Director Armand Windisch notes.

“Finally, in the third stage of the project, we will build a 2,100-metre reversible aerial tramway to Cabana Dochia mountain,” Windisch adds. The tramway will start near the summit station of the combined gondola/chairlift cable car and provide access to a restaurant at the top of this 1,750-metre-high peak.

“In both winter and summer the cable car, which will have transport capacity of 500 people per hour, will be available only for walkers,” the planner emphasises.As well as ski and snowboarding slopes, the winter provision at Durau Park will also include toboggan runs and a winter flume.

Furthermore, a bike park with a 2.3-kilometre downhill route and flume will be built. The summer provision will be rounded off with attractions such as playgrounds and fairground rides.

Last but not least, MOUNTAIN PLANNING is also designing cycle and hiking trails to the highlights of the national park, including Lake Izvorul Muntelui and Duruitoarea Waterfall.

“In conclusion: not only are we are planning ski slopes, cableways and buildings in Durau, we are also designing an attractive concept for both summer and winter,” Windisch says.

Typically, a master plan not only guarantees that the mountain destination is properly planned from the outset; it also saves money for the operator. “The cost of our services works out to be very reasonable, as we save the operator the cost of expensive mistakes from the outset, submit reliable sales and income strategies and prepare smart infrastructure plans,” Windisch explains.

Only a few companies in the world is able to provide consultancy services that are as comprehensive as those of MOUNTAIN PLANNING: “My team of engineers, architects and marketing experts can satisfy the backlog demand of inexperienced mountain destination operators in a competent and professional manner,” Managing Director affirms. His assertion is confirmed by a multitude of contented customers around the world.