Beyond Snow Project Partners meeting took place in April in the Metropolitan City of Turin & Ala di Stura – Balme. It focused on addressing climate change in medium mountain ski resorts.
If ski tourism is no longer a sustainable objective for medium and low-altitude mountain communities, what future is imaginable to support the socioeconomic development of these areas and encourage different forms of tourism? The ski resort of Métabief, in the French Jura mountains, has launched a study to understand what conversion of activities and structures is possible to accompany the resort towards a future that, according to the most accredited studies, will be increasingly without snow by 2040. Representatives of the resort shared their experience during the meeting; they presented their winter season problems and the solutions they have come up with to address them. Local mayors confirmed that such issues are becoming more common. In Ala di Stura, the local administration of Balme presented their strategies to combat emerging problems of the winter season. Despite the negative situation, this indicates progress since the issues have been acknowledged and local and national governments are seeking solutions. This creates an opportunity to try new approaches and confirms the idea of the Beyond Snow project is correct and the implementation of technologies as supported by Tourism 4.0 ideology is correct.
This partner meeting in Turin was the first meeting among partners of the Interreg Alpine Space BeyondSnow project, which focused on an increase of the resilience of winter tourist destinations to climate change. To measure the mentioned issues objectively, the Resilience Adaptation Model (RAM) and a Resilience Decision-Making Digital Tool (RDMDT) are being developed. These tools provide a starting point to search for solutions and make verifiable plans for the future.
