With an ambitious new strategy for the Saanenland in place and first successes under his belt, the Bern native has set his sights on even loftier goals. With the creation of Gstaad Bike World, Bachofner is busy revving up tourism revenue by turning our local mountain trails and city roads into a biker’s paradise. At his offices on the Promenade, Bachofner opened up to GSTAADLIFE’s Alexis Munier about banks, bikes, and billionaires, and what further ideas for Gstaad’s future he has up his sleeve.

GSTAADLIFE: Where are you from originally?

Martin Bachofner: I’m from Moosseedorf, a village just outside the city of Bern. It’s most famous for a mall called Shoppyland, or for the traffic jams on the nearby highway.


GL: Rumour has it you’re actually a banker?

MB: Not exactly! After completing an MBA and Law degree, I then took a job in a publishing house in Munich, where I worked as an executive assistant to the CEO. It was when the shift of traditional print to online material began, and it was a fascinating time to learn the industry.

After that I worked in finance for some years. I even had the chance to take over an executive position of a banking institution in Liechtenstein, but my heart wasn't in it. I knew from that day on I’d make my name in another industry.


GL: Why the change from publishing and finance to tourism, and why here in the Saanenland?

MB: I had always wanted to be a managing director, specifically in a field in which I have an emotional relationship. No matter what the naysayers claim, tourism is a very emotional–and complex–field. When the opportunity came up in Gstaad, I couldn’t say no.


GL: Does the fact you're not a local help or hinder your role?

MB: It’s good that I’m not a local. Hiring a managing director who is not native to the area allows a certain distance that lets me see things clearly. I can see the region not only as a Swiss would, or a Berner would, but as an international tourist would as well. Director of Tourism is a role that calls for many skills, and the most important is that I’m a man with the right mind-set.

I started in April 2011 and have grown a very successful team here in Gstaad. People have the wrong idea that tourism is easy and all about holidays. It’s not. There are so many stakeholders in our business–the local governments, the farmers, the locals, the tourists, and the local businesses, to name just a few.


GL: Have you steered Gstaad Saanenland Tourism down a new path?

MB: Before I took over, the tourism office did a good job, but it was mainly reactive, not proactive. Now, I’ve put into place a new strategy that shows that, after just three years, our numbers are growing significantly. One big change was the decision to target new markets in China, South East Asia, Brazil, Russia, and the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) to name just a few. We now have a 60?% increase in overnight stays for guests from the emerging markets. We have a lot of Swiss and European guests, which of course means the total increase for overnight stays is not as dramatic. But it means that as we lose some guests due to the high franc and weak euro, we gain visitors from new regions.


GL: What is the essence behind the Gstaad brand?

MB: Gstaad has a strong brand, and that brand is not only gourmet restaurants, luxury hotels, and celebrity guests. We are also a perfect destination for guests who want to be active and enjoy well-being, fitness, and sports.

However, the landscape here is not enough to draw guests. Yes, of course the mountains here are lovely and open, which differs from some of the other Alpine regions. But that’s not enough–we have to do more product development behind the brand of Gstaad.


GL: What types of new products are you forming with local entrepreneurs?

MB: Gstaad Bike World is just one of the projects which focuses on activities that are appropriate not only for all ages, but for all budgets. Gstaad Saanenland Tourism is a co-founder of the project, along with the Bergbahnen, Alpinzentrum, and Sportzentrum. We are the group leader, however, and we’re pushing the potential of the region’s beautiful landscape. I personally believe biking in all forms is the perfect fit for a summer sport here.


GL: What potential does biking have, especially in an area as wealthy as Gstaad?

MB: A billionaire friend who is an avid biker and owner of a professional road biking team says that biking is the new golf. Many CEOs and important managers consider biking their primary sport. Rather than playing golf, they want to maximise their leisure time and do a truly sporty activity. This mix between a healthy lifestyle and a joyful lifestyle is a good fit for Gstaad. People can spend the day biking either on or off-road, and the evening enjoying a fine meal in one of our many respected restaurants.

We started in 2013 with the main focus on developing the mountain biking offers. We wanted an area in the Saanenland where we could gather all the mountain bikers so we can focus different mountains on different things. We hope to have the first trails open on the Horneggli in two to three years.


GL: What are some of the hold-ups?

MB: We are working with a professional bike development company which has done similar projects for many other regions, for example in the Engadine and Scotland. We put together a great concept, and took it public. Now the situation is difficult because it’s not easy to develop a biking area in the canton of Bern. We need the support of the canton, yet it’s not clear which branch of the government will support the project. Right now, the project and responsibility is being passed around, no administrative office wants to take it. This has nothing to do with finances; it’s simply a question of administration.


GL: Speaking of financing, just how expensive is the project?

MB: It’s not as if we need to create brand new mountain biking paths; these trails already exist. We just need permission to widen them slightly. In the community assembly last October, the BDG announced they wanted to invest CHF 4-5 million into the project. Now, sadly, they claim to still support the project but they have declared they don't have the money yet. While the BDG is certainly struggling, cutting off investment in a strategy designed to increase tourism and revenue in the region is foolhardy. We hope that after the turn-around of the BDG they will set up the right decisions and invest some money into the bike project.


GL: Is Gstaad Saanenland Tourism already promoting Gstaad as a biking region?

MB: We also have a good relationship with Scott, a Swiss biking company that is widely known as one of the industry leaders. And we’ve already had two or three special interest biking magazines here to test the region. So far it’s been a big success with the international press, and you can see more and more bikers on the local roads.


GL: When will the first bike trails be up and running?

MB: Last year there was a private mountain bike contest on the Rellerli, the Rellerli Rookies Ride Contest. It was a great success and this year Gstaad Bike World has decided to work with the contest. We applied for a temporary permission from both the city of Saanen and the Canton of Bern to use a downhill track on the Rellerli. If we can secure this dedicated bike trail, it’s the beginning of a unique Gstaad offer that can attract bikers. We hope to have approval by end July. This will show bikers that we are determined to go ahead with the project.


GL: What about the narrowness of the roads and safety of both bikers and drivers?

MB: There is a risk, especially on the Col du Pillon or when there is some construction work on the streets, but overall we have very few injuries each year. I’ve been biking since 1998, and I’ve never been in an accident. Knock on wood. As long as both parties are aware and respectful I don't foresee any real point of contention here.

As for sharing trails with bikers, some people have the impression that there will be bikes all over the trails here. That’s simply not true. We are concentrating downhill biking in one area, and hikers will be warned so they can make the choice whether to use other trails or not. It’s a question of education. We can share the trails, just as we should, as humans, share everything with one another. We are all adult enough to handle the question of right of way on the trails without endangering each other’s safety.


GL: Let’s face it…?many of the heads
on the Promenade are grey.
Is biking an option for Gstaad's less youthful guests?

MB: E-bikes are also an interesting offer. Many of our guests are older and are happy to have the support of a small engine. Not only are e-bikes great for road biking, but now there are new e-mountain bikes. This would be a perfect solution for guests who are less mobile but still keen on exploring the region with bikes.


GL: Where do you see the future of tourism in the Saanenland going?
Can our region weather the strong franc-storm?

MB: We have to overthink our touristic system. Saanen is a rich community that invests money year after year into several separate institutions, Gstaad Saanenland Tourism and the BDG included. I could describe it with the metaphor of watering flowers. Rather than just watering the whole garden every day, we can save water and grow better flowers with a drip system that gives water right to the source where the plants need it most.

GL: Would Gstaad Saanenland Tourism lead this fusion effort?

MB: No, it is too small to do so. I’ll give you an example…?right now the BDG have their own marketing team and so do we. What if we consolidated this system and focused our energy on several priorities? Yes, there is the Gstaad2020 group, which have a vision for the region. But I strongly believe we should institutionalise the new strategy with all the stakeholders–and the leading organisation should be a brand new organ.


GL: And I suppose you’re the man for the job?

MB: I am only the "Kurdirektor." It’s not a matter of stabilising or securing my job–it’s all about the future of the destination.