The Public Access Division posted good full-year figures despite the economic crisis, which took its toll on this market. SkiData's growth strategy continued to pay off in 2009, as this company consolidated its market position.
The Parking segment showed strong growth. SkiData's ability to fully integrate and centrally manage large systems won it some important contracts, particularly in the airport sector (Abu Dhabi, Montreal, Amsterdam-Schiphol). It also set up large-scale parking facilities in Chile (shopping malls) and Belgium (for the national railway company).
People Access also reported solid figures, especially in stadiums and arenas. SkiData was selected to be a privileged partner in equipping stadiums with access systems for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Likewise, it equipped four stadiums that hosted games in the 2010 African Cup of Nations in Angola. In India, SkiData set up access systems in three cricket stadiums.
In the Mountain segment, SkiData made further progress on the US market. It installed a new access system in Alpine Meadows, a California ski resort, and expanded facilities in Aspen (Colorado), which it first set up in 2008. In Europe, SkiData's access systems were adopted by mountain resorts in France, Spain and Italy.
First convergence project
Although specifically tailored to each client's needs, SkiData's solutions are built on a common platform that enables operators to combine various solutions in order to offer convergent multi-function services to consumers.
Park & Ski in Tignes-Val d'Isère
The first convergent solution was implemented in 2009 at the Tignes-Val d'Isère ski resort in France. The resort, which already used a SkiData access system for its ski lifts, adopted SkiData solutions for its seven parking lots. Tignes-Val d'Isère can now offer visitors a combined parking and ski pass ticket, and the entire system is managed centrally.
This solution is based on RFID technology, which is embedded in the ski pass carrier (a smart card for example). Skiers use their smart card to exit the parking lot. This allows operators to offer free or discounted parking to skiers or to set different rates for skiers and other users of the parking facilities. The end user ultimately benefits from this "one-stop shopping" for both skiing and parking.
Recognized achievements
For the second year in a row, SkiData was named one of Austria's "Leading Companies" in the province of Salzburg. This award honors Austrian firms that show "outstanding growth and a solid financial basis."