TMR, the largest leader in tourism in Slovakia, continues to transform the Tatras into a new era and to focus its strategy at investments into growth of jobs in the region. “The new cableway Štart – Skalnaté pleso in the resort of Tatranská Lomnica will be the key investment project in 2013,” Bohuš Hlavatý, TMR’s CEO, stated. As Hlavatý added, the current 4-person cableway is no longer suitable for the wind conditions here. It shall be replaced by a 15-person gondola, the same as at Chopok South – wind resistant; which will notably improve transportation and the product offering. Besides the new gondola skiers will be able to enjoy new trails: „Esíčka“ with snowmaking and safety barriers, „Bukova hora II“ with snowmaking, or the renovated original trail „Generál II.“ – all in Tatranska Lomnica. In the Low Tatras the trail „Turistická“ will be linked to a trail with direction Lúčky, which will be complemented by a new 6-seat cableway on the north side of Chopok.
As a result, there will be a new gate into the resort with cashiers, a rental, and a snack bar on the slope. This will raise the resort’s convenience since the Lúčky parking lot with a capacity of 350 spots will be ski-in ski-out. Other additions of 2013 include: a 350-person conference hall at the hotel Grand in Jasna, 6 new Chalets at Zahradky in the Low Tatras, or expansion of dining at Skalnate pleso in the High Tatras. Hotel Srdiečko in the Low Tatras will have its entrance lobby, bar, and wellness spa renovated. In Tatralandia a new adrenalin attraction – Superfly – a simulation of free fall will be added.
“Rotunda at Chopok shaped like the original will be the iconic construction project of this year. In the upper part of Rotunda the roof top will provide a grand view of the West Tatras and Horehronie. In the middle part of the building 4 apartments with a spectacular view will be added, like the ones at Lomnicky stit,” Bohuš Hlavatý added.
With completing the last year’s investments a new shield will be added for the entrance and exit cableway stations at Chopok, which will give them a new modern look. New cashiers and ski kindergartens Maxiland in the Tatra resorts will enhance the level of services offered.
This year’s investments are expected to bring growth in the number of resort visitors, greater average spending per visitor, increased occupancy of relevant hotels and consequently higher sales, similar to how the last year’s investments of EUR 44 mln contributed to growth of visit rate. The number of visitors in the resort Jasná Nízke Tatry, at which the most investments were directed, increased by more than 105 thousand visitors, i.e. by 24%. Besides EUR 45 mln for investments in the Tatras, TMR will have another CZK 120 mln invested in 2012/13 into development of Spindleruv Mlyn through its subsidiary Melida, in which TMR holds 50%, and which leases the resort. The investments into Spindleruv Mlyn will be directed mainly at development of ancillary services, such as construction of sports equipment rentals, dining facilities, shops, and ski schools.
In the past 6 years TMR realized numerous key projects (cableways in Tatranska Lomnica with blue and orange shields, renovated Tatra grand hotels, music club Happy End in Jasna, dining on slopes, the revolutionary interconnection of both sides of the Chopok Mountain with cableways Funitel and the 15-person gondola, the ski lift Twinliner, stores, rentals, Tropical Paradise in Aquapark Tatralandia, etc.), which significantly contributed to modernization, development, and total visit rate in the mountain resorts. During the past 6 years TMR had contributed to creation of 339 new jobs.
Tatry mountain resorts, a.s. is the top player in the tourism segment in Central and Eastern Europe, which itself or via subsidiaries owns and operates attractive mountain resorts and hotels in the area of the Low and High Tatras. The assets in the Low Tatras include the resort Jasná Nízke Tatry and the following hotels: Wellness hotel Grand Jasná, Tri Studničky Hotel and Chalets Záhradky De Luxe. In the High Tatras, TMR owns and operates resorts Tatranská Lomnica, Starý Smokovec and the following hotels: Grandhotel Praha Tatranská Lomnica and Grandhotel Starý Smokovec, Hotel Slovakia and hotel FIS Štrbské Pleso. TMR also co‐operates the ski area Štrbské Pleso and since the winter season 2012/2013 it has been leasing the mountain resort Špindlerův Mlýn in the Czech Republic in cooperation with SMMR, a.s. TMR owns Tatralandia, the largest Slovak aquapark with all-year operation, which offers a lot of water activities, the Fun Park, or relax in a special tropical hall with sea water. It also offers accommodation in bungalows and suites of the Holiday Village Tatralandia. TMR owns and leases out Hotel Liptov and Hotel Ski&Fun Záhradky and Bungalows, and Kosodrevina Lodge. More than 144 million Euros have been invested by the end of 2012 in the already mentioned resorts. These investments help to increase the standard and visit rate in the Tatras. The TMR shares have been traded on three European stock exchanges – in Bratislava, Prague and Warsaw since 2012.