Experience Ski Resorts Like Never Before: Embracing New Audiences as Winter’s Grip Lessens

As ski resorts across Europe continue to struggle with warmer winters, some are exploring alternative options to attract visitors. According to Wired, the Fai della Paganella resort in Italy took a unique approach by adding mountain biking to its offerings in 2011. Surprisingly, this new attraction quickly gained popularity and surpassed the resort’s skiing business. The resort’s destination manager states, “Sixty-five percent of our visitors now come outside of the ski season—between April and November.” This success has inspired other resorts, like a family resort in Germany, to follow suit. Previously struggling due to a lack of snow, the resort is now projected to attract 60,000 mountain bikers during the 2023 season, breathing new life into the business.

CNN Travel shares a similar story, although not with a positive outcome. La Sambuy resort in France made the difficult decision to close after experiencing only four weeks of snow last year, facing a potential operating loss of over $500,000. “Before, we used to have snow practically from the first of December up until the 30th of March,” says La Sambuy mayor Jacques Dalex. Despite this setback, the town remains hopeful that its scenic hiking and natural beauty will continue to attract visitors. In France alone, there are an estimated 106 abandoned ski lifts, and an environmental group has dismantled 22 lifts in just over two decades.

Unfortunately, the situation is expected to worsen if global warming continues. A study published in Nature Climate Change reveals that 98% of the 2,234 European ski resorts analyzed are at “very high” risk of “snow supply” if global average temperatures rise by 4 degrees Celsius. Even with a 2-degree rise, which is likely to happen by the middle of this century, over half of the resorts will struggle to maintain natural snow cover. Many resorts in Europe already rely on artificial snow production, which not only consumes significant amounts of water and energy but also contributes to the environmental crisis it aims to address. (Read more climate change stories)