Climate change and the Australian ski industry Urs König CRES, Australian National University, 1998

Keywords: climate change, ski resorts, adaptation strategies, .

Abstract

A skier survey was undertaken in three ski resorts in and possible response strategies of the Australian ski industry to climate change were investigated. The skier survey showed that climate change would have significant implications for the Australian snow resorts in terms of visitor numbers. It was shown that Australian ski resorts would lose 44 per cent of their skiers if there were more future winters with little natural snow. These respondents would either ski overseas rather than in Australia (38 per cent), or give up their sport (6 per cent); 56 per cent of respondents would remain in Australia (25 per cent as often as they used to and 31 per cent less often). The amount of artificial snow-making and price of lift tickets are most important to skiers when choosing a resort in future snow-deficient winters. However, a lower level of skiing skills of respondents was associated with a higher importance of non-snow related activities. Of all respondents 78% believed that climate change due to an enhanced greenhouse effect could threaten skiing in Australia. Most of these respondents, believed that this will be the case before 2030 (62 per cent).

The range of possible adaptation strategies of the ski industry to climate change are discussed. The more technical strategies such as snow-making, super grooming, and snow farming, which aim at maintaining ski tourism, are well developed in Australia. This is most likely due to the already high variability of the snow-pack under present climate conditions. The increasing importance of these expensive technical response strategies (i.e. snow-making) under climate change will be a clear disadvantage for smaller resorts with less financial means. This will enhance the concentration of the ski industry, on those resorts with the best natural snow conditions and with the greatest financial resources. In the long run, however, those alpine resorts which reduce their snow-reliance through the provision of non-snow related activities and an enhanced all season visitation will be in the best position.

Increasing all-year visitation in the alpine resorts is certainly a difficult task. It was pointed out in Thredbo and , that it requires 'a lot of hard work'. Nevertheless, there is a market for more all-year visitation in the . The two successful examples, Thredbo and Mt Buffalo, show that with (1) a visually attractive resort, (2) the availability of suitable facilities and services (3) at least one USP, and (4) a well researched all-year marketing strategy, all-year visitation to alpine resorts can be increased. It is worth repeating that this is, despite the smaller financial turnover in summer, the most effective strategy in order to cope with a diminishing snow-pack due to climate change.

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Notes to readers

This is an abstract of a paper presented at: The Global Threats to the Australian Snow Country Conference held at the Australian Institute of Alpine Studies, Jindabyne, Australia. 17-19 February 1998.

To read all abstracts presented at the Global Threats to the Australian Snow Country Conference, go to: http://www.aias.org.au/newsletters/newslet1.html#snow

The Mountain Forum would like to thank Ken Green and the Australian Institute of Alpine Studies for their permission to include this abstract in our Mountain Forum Online Library.