The Swiss tourist industry is recommending that plans be abandoned to build an indoor ski dome in order to win new converts to the sport.

The plans were first tabled a year ago but a feasibility study presented on Tuesday found that such a facility was unlikely to turn a profit.

The Swiss ski industry hatched the idea as a way of encouraging young people to take up the sport. Locals account for around 60 per cent of all skiers at the country's resorts, but fewer young Swiss are learning to ski.

The Swiss Tourism Federation, which spearheaded the project, said the facility would have to be built close to urban centres in northwest Switzerland and would have the potential to attract around 215,000 visitors a year.

However, the ski dome would need at least 270,000 paying customers annually to make a profit.

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