ADVERTISEMENTThis year’s ski season may have kicked off early thanks to a bumper November snowfall, but forecasts suggest it won’t happen often in the future.
The winter skiing period is slowly but steadily shrinking - down by an average of 34 days from previous decades - and renowned ski resort towns are on edge.
Increasingly unpredictable climate conditions and little snow make planning a ski trip harder than it used to be.
Now that it seems like resort towns can’t rely on the perfect wintry conditions to bring business, they’re looking for alternative attractions to lure visitors.
Ski destinations struggle with lack of snow
After last year’s historically challenging conditions, ski towns are feeling uncertain at the start of a new season.
Despite what seems to be a strong forecast for the upcoming winter, decades of downward-trending data show decreasing season lengths and scant snow.
Many ski resorts are now forced to rely on artificial snowmaking to cover the shortfall. Ninety per cent of ski slopes in Italy, 70 per cent in Austria and 53 per cent in Switzerland employ snow cannons, according to the Swiss lift operators association.
For many towns reliant on the tourism income that comes with visiting ski enthusiasts, sustaining livelihoods despite less-than-impressive snowfall is more critical than ever.
Ski destinations turn to adventure travel
As winter holiday destinations scramble to find ways to extend their seasons, a renewed interest in adventure travel appears to be a possible solution.
Recent data from the Hilton 2024 Trends Report found that 52 per cent of millennial and Gen Z travellers identify exploration and ‘adventure’ as their top priorities for travel.
For many ski destinations, that’s the lifeline they need.
Swiss ski town becomes off-season hotspot
Ski towns looking for a masterclass in expanding their offerings should look no further than Grindelwald, Switzerland.
Surrounded by the snow-capped peaks and green pastures of a bucolic region of Switzerland known as the Jungfrau, it’s a destination that seems straight out of ‘The Sound of Music’.
While Grindelwald has long been famous in Switzerland as a ski town, its growth as a popular summer destination in recent years has been remarkable.
A crop of thrill-seeking activities in Grindelwald has placed the town at the heart of a new adventure travel boom in Switzerland.
Above the town, the skies are now dotted with the colourful sails of paragliders while mountain bikers zip down panoramic trails that cut through the surrounding slopes.
At the nearby summit of Grindelwald First, you can try zip lines and motorless mountain carts that send you flying down the slopes at impressive speeds, powered by nothing but gravity.
Hikers can choose from family-friendly panoramic trails to the challenging six-hour trek from First to Schynige Platte.
ADVERTISEMENTFrench ski chalets offer off-season retreats
Owners of ski chalets are also finding the shortening season challenging. In Morzine in the French Alps, luxury chalet company Alikats is adapting by offering off-season retreats.
In spring, summer and autumn, visitors can stay in the catered accommodation and join wellness and personal growth activities.
Guests immerse themselves in the Alpine surroundings through hikes, foraging and bracing lake swims.
Big-name ski resort Verbier in Switzerland is also leaning into snowless activities. You can go on nature walks with a guide, join a cooking class or hire an e-bike to explore the mountains.
What is the future of ski resorts in Europe?
In Grindelwald, the year-round adventure travel rebrand has been a boon to the entire region. The area’s growth has allowed even more investment in trains to connect mountain towns with the rest of the country.
ADVERTISEMENTThe new state-of-the-art Eiger Express cable car, which opened in late 2020, ferries visitors from the Grindelwald Terminal to the highest railway station in Europe, Jungfraujoch.
It’s now one of the most popular places to visit in Switzerland, offering expansive views of Europe’s longest glacier.
Whether the 2023-2024 ski season offers better conditions than skiers have enjoyed in recent years remains to be seen.
Still, winter wonderlands can see the writing on the wall: it’s time to find creative ways to extend their season.