BERLIN, Jan 1 (Reuters) – Following are some key facts about the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana where officials said dozens of people were killed and 100 injured, most of them seriously, after a fire tore through a crowded bar during a New Year’s Eve party.
LOCATION
Crans-Montana is in the Swiss Alps in the French-speaking part of the canton of Valais. It lies on a plateau above the city of Sierre, around 1,500 metres (4,920 feet) above sea level, with views of the Valais Alps and the Weisshorn mountain.
VIP CONNECTIONS
The resort has attracted a long line-up of celebrities, including James Bond star Roger Moore who lived there until his death in 2017. Model Claudia Schiffer, actor Hugh Grant and former French President Nicolas Sarkozy have all passed through.
It hosts major events including the Omega European Masters golf tournament, which drew more than 48,000 spectators in 2024, and the Alpine Ski World Cup, attended by 37,000 people.
TOURISM
Around three million people visit Crans-Montana every year, far more than its local population of 10,500.
From November 2023 to October 2024, Swiss travellers accounted for 66% of hotel stays, according to Crans-Montana Tourism & Congress Committee data.
This was followed by tourists from France (7.3%), Italy (3.7%), Britain (3.5%), the United States (2.8%), the Gulf states (2.4%), Belgium (2.1%) and Germany (2.0%).
OWNERSHIP AND NETWORK
Crans-Montana’s ski operations are part of the international Epic Pass network operated by U.S.-listed Vail Resorts, which acquired the resort’s ski lift company in 2024.
Vail Resorts manages 42 mountain sites, including Crans-Montana and Andermatt-Sedrun in Switzerland.
In its December 2025 capital plan, Vail highlighted the rising importance of its Swiss resorts in attracting U.S. visitors and boosting revenue in Europe.
ACTIVITIES AND SPENDING
The resort has 140 km (87 miles) of ski slopes, mountain biking trails, hiking routes and championship golf courses, according to its annual report.
It also has 2,678 hotel beds and many holiday apartments. In 2024, 1.45 million Swiss francs ($1.83 million) of central reservation sales and 283,515 Swiss francs from activity bookings were recorded.
($1 = 0.7923 Swiss francs)
(Reporting by Kirsti Knolle and Christoph Steitz; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
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