New chairlift and ski runs with additional expansions at Mátraszentistván Ski Resort this year – photos

The Mátraszentistván Ski Resort is to expand this year with a new four-seater chairlift and fresh ski runs, backed by an investment of some HUF 1.5 billion (EUR 4 million), Bence György, the resort’s communications adviser, announced during a press tour on Tuesday.

Mátraszentistván Ski Resort – for the families

He added that components for the new lift have already arrived from Austria, with the project set to be completed by year’s end, pending final permits, the Hungarian News Agency wrote. Now 21 years old, the resort pursues continuous development under the government’s 2021 Mátra Regional Active Tourism Strategy, funded entirely from its own resources, György said.

Wholly owned by a Hungarian family, it consciously targets families, ski instruction, and nurturing competitive talent.

Plans include a 1.5km family ski run (exceptionally long by Hungarian mountain standards) with an exhilarating line; doubling the instructor area; and new sledging facilities. By summer, an alpine playground with surprise features will open, alongside a mountain bike trail, he outlined.

Four-season destination

Alongside these works, the resort is transforming into a four-season destination, extending the current 2.5- to 3-month winter season in the Upper Mátra to 10 months. Reservoir capacity will also expand to store excess rainwater from heavy downpours, the adviser detailed.

Kalcsó Benedek, the ski area’s technical director, revealed that 15 new snow guns were acquired at the start of this season, bringing the total to 46. These can now cover the 10-hectare slopes in 3-4 days under favourable conditions of at least -2.5°C. Water is drawn from four reservoirs in a closed system, with meltwater collected and pumped back, he explained.

On International Ski Patrol Day (10 February), the resort and partner Helly Hansen honoured safety staff from the Kékes Search and Rescue Service and the resort’s piste team as the “guardian angels of the mountains”.

Boom in domestic ski tourism

Rápolthy Edit, the PR manager, stressed that the professional team’s reliability has been more vital than ever this season, with January among the busiest in the resort’s history. Over 25,000 tickets were sold by month’s end, signalling a boom in domestic ski tourism, she said. February runs at full tilt: cold nights and relentless snowmaking keep cover at a steady 30-50cm, with nine lifts serving 3.3km of pistes.

The operation is backed by DIGITROLL Kft, a 100% Hungarian-owned family firm founded in 1992. Specialising in proprietary agrielectronic devices, it leads globally in seed monitoring. Founder Imre Kőrösi built Hungary’s first chairlift in 1987. Since 2002, the company has developed a proven, sustainable ski system, employing 12 permanent staff and over 100 seasonal tourism workers.

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