Came for a winter. Stayed for good.

St. Anton is no ordinary place, and you do not have to live here for years to feel it. Most people sense it after just one season. There is something about this place that is difficult to put into words. Perhaps that is exactly why so many people who originally intended to stay only for a short while are still here today.

People from all over the world have found a home in St. Anton. Australians, Brits, Dutch, Germans, Scandinavians, people from the Balkans, Eastern Europe and Italy. Most arrived for the skiing, for work or simply for an adventure in the mountains. Somewhere along the way, one winter turned into an entire life, without anyone being able to say exactly when that happened.

Many former seasonal workers who once worked in hotels, restaurants or up on the mountain stayed as well. They built families, established businesses and helped shape this community, often quietly and without seeking recognition. St. Anton would be a very different and poorer place without them.

That is what makes this place so special. It is international and open, yet deeply rooted in tradition. People from different cultures live side by side here, and remarkably, it works. Because people know one another. Because they work together, sometimes disagree, but ultimately pull in the same direction. Because there is an understanding that a place can only remain strong when the people who live there are willing to build something together.

Especially today, in a time when so much of the world seems divided by arguments and polarisation, one realises how fortunate we truly are, in Austria, in Tyrol and especially here in St. Anton. We live in safety and freedom and enjoy a quality of life that many people can only dream of, surrounded by mountains, nature and genuine opportunities.

Of course, life here has its challenges too. High living costs, the demands of tourism and the pressures of the season are all part of everyday life. Yet most people here are well aware of how privileged this way of life is, even if they do not always say it out loud.

While others come here for a few days to switch off and escape, we have the privilege of experiencing this place every single day. Perhaps that is the greatest luxury of all. Not simply spending a holiday in the mountains, but calling them home.