The upcoming winter season of 2025/26 in Szczyrk is set to be a record-breaker. New investments in skiing infrastructure, an attractive events calendar, and growing interest in Polish winter holidays mean that apartment owners can expect high occupancy rates. We analyze what the resorts are preparing and what opportunities are opening up for investors.
Introduction – The Tourism and Investment Backdrop for the 2025/26 Season
The constantly growing interest in winter holidays in the Polish mountains is one of the strongest trends in tourism. A recent report by the Triverna portal and the Pingwin Group shows that 57% of surveyed Poles planning a winter vacation intend to spend it in the country, and 39% of those choose the mountains. Only 21% of respondents are considering going abroad. The number of people opting for active leisure activities is also growing – 23% of respondents indicated skiing and snowboarding. Consistently, the biggest obstacle in winter budgets is the cost of accommodation, cited by 70% of respondents, which underscores the importance of attractive apartments close to the slopes.
Szczyrk is enjoying increasing interest not only among residents of the Silesian agglomeration but also guests from Warsaw, Pomerania, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. It is just an hour and a half drive from Katowice, and thanks to the planned expansion of express roads, travel from Warsaw and Kraków will be even faster. Guests return here both in winter and summer, valuing the modern skiing infrastructure, numerous hiking trails, and access to wellness and gastronomy.
New Investments in Skiing Infrastructure
New Chairlift on Skrzyczne and Gondola Plans Over the past few years, Szczyrk has become one of the best-equipped ski resorts in Poland. On Skrzyczne, the highest peak of the Silesian Beskids, a modern six-seater chairlift was launched in December 2024, replacing the old chairlift. This investment by the Central Sports Centre (COS) has improved skier comfort – the new chairlift can transport significantly more people, reducing queues and travel time. It aligns perfectly with the trend of raising the standard of ski resorts.
Local government officials do not intend to stop there. The Mayor of Szczyrk, Antoni Byrdy, announced that the city and its partners want to build another cable car – a gondola from the Skalite interchange hub to the slopes of Skrzyczne. According to preliminary assumptions, the gondola will be 4.5 km long, and 15-person cabins running on three ropes will travel over the forest. The new investment is expected to cost around €65 million. Its goal is to alleviate traffic jams – tourists could leave their cars in the center and then ascend to the slopes by gondola. The authorities are confident that such a solution will ease the burden on the city and increase traveler comfort.
COS-OPO Expansion for Competitive Athletes Simultaneously, the Central Sports Centre – Olympic Preparation Centre in Szczyrk (COS-OPO) is carrying out investments aimed at professional sports. A new 1,150-meter-long chairlift with six-seater chairs, a speed of 5 m/s, and a capacity of 1,800 people per hour is being built on Skrzyczne. This will be supplemented by a 450-meter-long T-bar lift with a capacity of 790 people per hour. The ski slope on Skrzyczne is 1,150 m long with a vertical drop of 300 m, and its FIS homologation will allow for the organization of giant slalom and slalom competitions. Sports Minister Kamil Bortniczuk announced that the expansion of cross-country and biathlon trails in Kubalonka will be unique on a global scale and allow for organizing World Championship level events.
Although this infrastructure is primarily intended for athletes, the prestige and promotion of the region will attract tourists. The modernized, fast lift and professional slope are not only comfortable for competitors but also mean greater capacity and safety for amateurs.
Szczyrk Mountain Resort and Beskid Sport Arena Szczyrk Mountain Resort (SMR), the largest center in the region, has been investing in trail modernization for years. Currently, skiers have access to over 40 km of slopes (including sections shared with COS) and several cable cars. In combination with the Central Sports Centre and Beskid Sport Arena, Szczyrk offers a total of over 31 km of open slopes. New lifts and comfortable trails attract crowds of tourists, but at the same time, they increase the quality of skiing, making Szczyrk a real alternative to foreign resorts.
Beskid Sport Arena (BSA) is a smaller complex with a modern chairlift and illuminated slopes. Its advantage is its proximity to the center and the possibility of evening skiing. Combined with SMR and COS, it forms one of the largest skipass systems in Poland, allowing use of tens of kilometers of trails on a single pass.
Winter Events Calendar
SnowFest Festival 2026 – Music, Sport, and Après-Ski Szczyrk attracts more than just skiers. Since 2014, the SnowFest Festival, the largest music and sports festival in the region, has been held in March. The organizers emphasize that the event is a cult proposition for those who do not fall into winter sleep. SnowFest features a diverse program – from electronic music to hip-hop and alternative, with artists like Rudimental, Röyksopp, and Mos Def. It is also the first après-ski in Poland, combining concerts with slope descents and spectacular snowboarding and freestyle competitions (SnowFest Games), which in 2026 will be part of the FIS Rails Snowboard and Freeski European Cup.
The winter calendar in Szczyrk is also filled with other events: the amateur Szczyrk Ski Cup, New Year’s Eve descents, sleigh rides, cross-country skiing in Kubalonka, and numerous concerts in local clubs. These types of events generate additional tourist traffic, and the SnowFest festival attracts guests from all over Poland and abroad.
Apartment Rental Market – Is a Record Approaching?
Growing Demand for Premium Apartments The increase in interest in winter holidays in Poland directly translates into demand for apartments in mountain resorts. The Triverna and Pingwin Group report shows that almost 70% of respondents planning a winter vacation are already booking their stay. The highest occupancy is for families with children, who plan longer stays of 4 to 6 nights, although an increase in shorter, spontaneous trips is expected in January and February.
Poles want to benefit from increasingly better infrastructure, but also from a higher standard of accommodation. Naturally, growing quality awareness is shifting demand towards apartments with full amenities, a wellness area, and additional services such as catering or concierge. According to the cited data, most bookers (21%) indicate guesthouses, and 17% standard hotels, which shows that the premium aparthotel market still has room for growth.
Why Szczyrk Might Break a Record Szczyrk has the most ski slopes in Poland, connecting three centers with one skipass. The new investments – the six-seater chairlift, the planned gondola, and sports investments – will increase capacity and attract even more guests. In the ranking of the attractiveness of Polish mountains, the Beskidy region – to which Szczyrk belongs – is indicated by 12% of respondents, making it the third most popular destination after the Tatras and Bieszczady.
If weather forecasts prove correct and the winter of 2025/26 brings heavy snowfall, combined with developed infrastructure and an attractive events calendar, Szczyrk could record a record number of visitors. With reservations already finalized in the autumn, apartment owners can count on full occupancy during the best holiday periods. It is also worth remembering that an increasing percentage of guests are tourists from Warsaw, Tricity, and abroad – the Czech Republic and Slovakia – who appreciate the premium standard.
Sky Resort – A Profit Opportunity for Investors Sky Resort is a premium aparthotel in the center of Szczyrk, a few hundred meters from modern lifts. It offers apartments of various sizes, private terraces, a wellness area, a restaurant, and operator services. In the SKY SMART+ model, the owner receives 70% of the rental revenue share and 21 days of personal stay outside the season, with the operator managing everything (marketing, guest service, settlements). The Second Home model allows unlimited use of the apartment – an option for those who treat it as their own mountain sanctuary. Both variants ensure full ownership and the possibility of VAT deduction, and the modern building with a panoramic pool attracts the interest of investors.
The approaching winter of 2025/26 is a good opportunity to join the ranks of owners. A record tourist season, rising accommodation prices, and a shortage of premium apartments can translate into high occupancy and a satisfying return on investment. Sky Resort combines the advantages of location, standard, and operator experience, making it one of the most interesting offers on the market.
Summary
The winter season of 2025/26 in Szczyrk promises to be exceptionally interesting. New investments in cable cars and slopes, ambitious plans to build a gondola, professional sports facilities, and a rich events calendar create excellent conditions for skiing and entertainment enthusiasts. Reports indicate a growing interest in holidays in the Polish mountains, and Szczyrk – with the largest number of open slopes – may break its attendance record. For owners and investors, this means an opportunity for high income from apartment rentals, especially those that offer a premium standard and proximity to the lifts.
Find out more about Sky Resort investment apartments – view the offer and current availability.
