VAL GARDENA

What VAL GARDENA does

Val Gardena (legally Dolomites Val Gardena S.c.a.r.l.) is a private cooperative consortium (Società consortile a responsabilità limitata) operating as the destination management organization for the Val Gardena valley in South Tyrol, Italy — a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site spanning the villages of Ortisei, S. Cristina, and Selva di Val Gardena. Headquartered in S. Cristina and coordinating with three municipal tourism associations, the organization runs the official digital tourism platform valgardena.it, the directBooking accommodation reservation system with best-price guarantee, the Val Gardena Guestinfo mobile app, real-time webcam and weather feeds, and the Val Gardena Trip Planner that integrates lift and bus connections for excursion routing. The 1–10 employee core is supported by partner ecosystems (Dolomiti Superski network for ski passes, Tourismusvereine Grödens at the village level, certified local guides under the Val Gardena Active program) to deliver a four-season offering: 600 km of hiking trails and 600 km of mountain bike trails in summer, alpine skiing and ski touring in winter, plus signature events (FIS Ski World Cup Saslong, HERO Südtirol Dolomites, Sellaronda Bike Day).

The business model is a hybrid of marketplace commissions and transaction fees. Revenue is generated through accommodation booking commissions via directBooking, transaction fees on curated experiences (DOLOMITES Breakfast, Sunrise, Sunset, Special Nights, Flying Aperitivo) and ski/lift ticket sales, professional services for event promotion and tourism marketing, and advertising/partnership fees with regional operators. Pricing is tiered — Val Gardena Active partner accommodations receive preferential or free access to guided experiences, while non-partner guests pay €27–€50 per activity (children ~50% off). Distribution is digital-first (website, app, newsletter, Instagram, YouTube) supplemented by physical tourist information offices in all three villages, with cross-promotion through event sponsorships (Raiffeisen Gherdëina) and memberships such as Leading Mountain Resorts.

The organization has invested in sustainability differentiation: it achieved GSTC certification in March 2023 (audited by Vireo), operates the Dolomites Ranger environmental education program, and implemented a €5 turnstile access fee at the high-traffic Seceda trail after reports of 8,000 daily visitors causing environmental damage. Technology integrations include Outdooractive (trail content), WeKloud (newsletter), OneSignal (push notifications), and a digital agency partnership with Gardena.Net. As a cooperative, Val Gardena redistributes value to member accommodation providers and municipal tourism associations rather than operating on a venture-style equity model.

Name

VAL GARDENA

Legal name

Dolomites Val Gardena S.c.a.r.l.

Website

https://valgardena.it

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Val Gardena is the cooperative destination management organization for the UNESCO-listed Dolomites valley in South Tyrol, Italy, operating the official tourism platform, directBooking reservation system, and Val Gardena Active experience program across three villages (Ortisei, S. Cristina, Selva di Val Gardena) for individual travelers, partner accommodations, and event organizers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Destination Tourism Services

NAICS

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591), Tour Operators (56152)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Guided Tours & Personal Tour Guides (THAJALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Group & Small-Group Custom Itinerary Planning (THAKAOAF), Multi-Modal Aggregators & Trip Planning APIs (Door-to-Door) (THALAJAI)

Keywords

• Destination tourism management
• Mountain resort accommodations
• Outdoor activity experiences
• Ski resort services
• Hospitality booking platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Cristina

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Accommodation Booking Commission: Val Gardena facilitates direct booking between guests and local accommodations (hotels, apartments, B&Bs, mountain inns), earning commission on transactions through the directBooking platform with best price guarantee
2. Activity and Experience Fees: Revenue from curated experiences including guided hikes, DOLOMITES Breakfast, DOLOMITES Sunset, DOLOMITES Sunrise, Special Nights, and Flying Aperitivo, with tiered pricing for partner accommodation guests vs. regular visitors
3. Ski Pass and Lift Ticket Sales: Online sales of ski passes and lift tickets through the Dolomiti Superski network and Dolomiti SuperSummer Card for summer lift access
4. Event and Tourism Promotion: Marketing services for local businesses, tourism associations, and event organizers including FIS Ski World Cup, HERO Dolomites, and various cultural events
5. Advertising and Partnership Fees: Partnership arrangements with local businesses, tourism operators, and regional organizations for promotional placement and collaborative marketing initiatives

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Val Gardena operates as the official tourism destination management organization and cooperative consortium for the Val Gardena valley in the Dolomites, providing an integrated digital platform for accommodation booking, activity planning, and visitor services. The core offering centers on the directBooking platform with best price guarantee, complemented by curated DOLOMITES Experiences (guided hikes, sunrise, sunset, breakfast, and aperitivo programs), ski and lift pass sales through Dolomiti Superski, the Val Gardena Guest Pass for free public transport, and the Trip Planner digital tool for excursion planning.

Product overview

Val Gardena is a Ladin valley and UNESCO World Natural Heritage destination in South Tyrol, Italy, operating primarily as a tourism management organization. The core offering is the comprehensive digital tourism platform (valgardena.it) supporting three villages (Ortisei, S. Cristina, Selva Val Gardena). The product portfolio centers on the directBooking system for accommodation reservations with best price guarantee, complemented by mobility solutions (Val Gardena Guest Pass, Dolomiti Supersummer Card, Dolomiti Superski passes), activity programs (Val Gardena Active), curated experiences (DOLOMITES Experiences including breakfast, sunrise, sunset, aperitivo offerings), and the Val Gardena Trip Planner for excursion planning. Winter operations encompass ski resort services while summer focuses on hiking, mountain biking, and climbing. Sustainability initiatives including GSTC certification and Dolomites Ranger programs are integrated into the visitor experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Val Gardena Active: Weekly activity program offering guided hikes, tours, and outdoor experiences in Val Gardena with certified local guides.
• Val Gardena Guest Pass
• Dolomiti Supersummer Card
• directBooking Val Gardena
• Dolomites Ranger

Products and services

• directBooking Val Gardena Direct online booking system allowing visitors to book accommodations (hotels, apartments, B&Bs, mountain inns) directly through the Val Gardena website with best price guarantee and exclusive benefits, serving individual travelers seeking lodging in the Dolomites.
• Val Gardena Guest Pass Mobility card for Val Gardena guests providing free use of public buses for protection of the Dolomites, serving visitors staying at partner accommodations.
• Val Gardena Trip Planner Digital planning tool for organizing excursions, hikes and walks in Val Gardena, combining lift and bus connections for optimal route planning, serving individual travelers planning outdoor activities.
• Dolomiti Supersummer Card Summer season pass offering access to lifts and summer activities throughout the Dolomites region, serving visitors seeking multi-resort summer mountain access.
• Dolomiti Superski Major ski pass system covering extensive slopes across the Dolomites, with Val Gardena as a key resort within the 450+ lift network, serving winter sports enthusiasts.
• Val Gardena Active Weekly activity program offering guided tours, hiking experiences, and curated outdoor activities with certified local guides, serving active travelers seeking structured outdoor experiences.
• DOLOMITES Experiences Curated special experiences including DOLOMITES Breakfast, DOLOMITES Sunrise, DOLOMITES Sunset, DOLOMITES Flying Aperitivo, Flowery Dolomites, and Special Nights, serving travelers seeking unique, curated mountain experiences.
• Val Gardena App (Guestinfo) Digital companion mobile application for visitors to Val Gardena providing real-time information, booking access, and trip planning capabilities during their stay.
• Ski Resort Val Gardena Winter sports destination offering skiing, snowboarding, slopes, ski lifts, freestyle and snowparks, ski schools, ski rentals, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and ski touring, serving winter sports tourists.

Quantifiable outcome

• 600 km of well-prepared hiking trails and 600 km of mountain bike trails available for visitors
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Dolomiti SuperskicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the major Dolomites ski area consortium providing ski pass access across 450+ lifts. Val Gardena is part of the Dolomiti Superski network and Sellaronda ski circuit, enabling visitors to access extended ski terrain.
• Lift Association (Verband der Inhaber der Liftanlagen Gröden/Seiser Alm)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation of lift operators in Val Gardena and Seiser Alm managing lift infrastructure and summer/winter lift operations including the 21 lifts in Val Gardena.
• Saslong - Alpine Ski World CupflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational alpine skiing World Cup event held annually at the Saslong slope in Val Gardena, attracting elite athletes and global media attention.
• Raiffeisen GherdëinacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional banking partner and sponsor supporting tourism infrastructure, events, and local economic development in the Gardena valley.
• Leading Mountain ResortscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership in international association of leading mountain resort destinations, providing benchmarking, best practice sharing, and marketing collaboration.
• UNIKAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual art exhibition/craft fair in Val Gardena featuring artists and sculptors, combining art tourism with the region's woodcarving heritage.
• Museum GherdëinaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal museum preserving and showcasing Ladin culture, history, and the region's renowned woodcarving tradition.
• Gardena.NetcoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital agency responsible for design, concept, and implementation of the valgardena.it website and digital platform.
• Radio Gröden DolomitesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal radio station providing regional news, event promotion, and marketing reach within the Dolomites tourism community.
• Tourismusvereine Grödens (Tourism Associations)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThree tourism associations in Ortisei, S. Cristina, and Selva managing local tourism promotion, events, and visitor services.
• SiMobil GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransportation company awarded contracts for Skibus Val Gardena, Wanderbus hiking shuttle, and Nightliner evening transport services.
• Dolomiti NordicSkiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional organization managing cross-country skiing trails and promoting winter Nordic sports.
• Ski Club Gröden - RaiffeisenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal ski club supporting alpine skiing development, racing programs, and youth ski education.
• Hockey Club GherdëinaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal ice hockey team engaging community and attracting sports tourism to the valley.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tourismusverband Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn: Austrian regional tourism organization for the Saalbach ski circus. Comparable alpine DMO operating a digital booking platform, ski pass distribution, and curated mountain experiences — closely aligned on product mix and DMO operating model.
• Tourism Whistler: Resort municipality DMO for Whistler, North America's largest four-season mountain resort. Comparable DMO business model with integrated booking platform, lift pass distribution, ski school, and curated activity programs targeting international travelers.
• Kitzbühel Tourism: Official tourism organization for Kitzbühel in the Austrian Tyrol. Comparable alpine DMO with a strong ski heritage (Hahnenkamm), integrated booking platform, summer activity programs, and similar event-driven demand model including world-cup level sports hosting.
• Chamonix Mont-Blanc Tourisme: French destination management organization serving the Chamonix-Mont-Blanc valley. Closely comparable as an alpine DMO operating a digital platform with accommodation booking, lift pass distribution, guided mountain experiences, and webcams — same destination DMO business model and customer base.
• Engadin St. Moritz Tourism: DMO for the Engadin/St. Moritz region in Switzerland. Comparable as a premium alpine destination organization with integrated digital booking, ski and summer activity programs, curated experiences, and similar four-season demand diversification model.
• Sölden Tourism: Austrian Tyrolean destination organization for Sölden, a year-round ski and glacier destination. Comparable as an alpine DMO operating a digital booking platform with glacier-ski, hiking, and biking offerings — directly overlaps in business model, customer segments, and seasonal diversification strategy.
• Zermatt Tourism: Official destination management organization for the Zermatt-Matterhorn region in Switzerland. Operates a comparable digital tourism platform with integrated booking, ski pass distribution, webcams, and curated guided experiences — directly comparable in business model, four-season positioning, and premium alpine brand.
• Aspen Chamber Resort Association: Official destination marketing organization for Aspen, Colorado. Comparable premium alpine destination DMO with four-season positioning, integrated booking, event-driven demand (X Games, Wintersköl), and curated mountain experiences for an international affluent traveler base.

Regional players

• Consorzio Turistico Dolomiti Cortina: Italian Dolomites regional DMO operating across Cortina and the Ampezzo basin. Comparable as a neighboring destination organization within the same UNESCO Dolomites region competing directly for Italian and international alpine tourism demand.
• Azienda per il Turismo Val di Fassa: Italian Dolomites regional tourism organization serving Val di Fassa in Trentino. Comparable as a nearby Dolomites DMO with overlapping UNESCO positioning, similar ski/summer offerings, and direct competition for the Italian and European alpine traveler segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/dolomitesvalgardena
• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=hv0ZsjF7HAo
• Xx.com/VGardena
• Facebookfacebook.com/dolomitesvalgardena
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dolomites-val-gardena

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about VAL GARDENA