Andermatt tourism resort

Master Plan concept for Andermatt tourism resort (Denniston International Architects & Planners Ltd.)

24.06.08 - The economic power in the canton of Uri is growing due to a new tourism resort. Ernst Basler + Partner assessed the long term social and economic impacts.

On a former military site in Andermatt, Canton Uri, a high-end tourism resort is planned by a private investor. In its final stage it is to contain 4'900 hotel beds, apartments and luxury villas, restaurants, shops and an 18-hole golf court. The first phase is to be completed by 2012; full build-out is scheduled for 2019.

For the Canton Uri this tourism development is of great significance; the region has been loosing residents, jobs and economic productivity over the last decades.

Ernst Basler + Partner, together with Ecoplan and Fahrländer Partner, was commissioned by the Canton Uri and the "Kantonal Bank" to assess the long term social and economic impact of the construction and operation of the planned resort.

If the project is to be completed, its construction and operation would result in a 32% increase of job growth compared with the situation in 2005. The service sector would grow as would the overall economic power of the Canton. The labour market would be turned around and population loss would be reversed. A lot of economic opportunities would arise. A danger would be the one-sided dependency on tourist demand. Currently the project is being evaluated by the regional authorities.