TL;DR
The 2023/24 ski season demonstrated the industry's recovery with over 366 million skier visits worldwide, marking the third consecutive year of robust performance according to the latest International Report on Snow & Mountain Tourism.
Ski Industry Bounces Back with Strong Global Performance
The 17th edition of the International Report on Snow & Mountain Tourism provides a comprehensive analysis of the 2023/24 ski season worldwide. With over 366 million skier visits recorded, the report indicates a healthy ski industry for the third consecutive year. This figure surpasses the average visits of pre-Covid years, suggesting a robust recovery from the pandemic's impact.
The 2023/24 season was characterised as 'Business as Usual', reflecting a return to normalcy for ski resorts globally. Laurent Vanat, an international consultant with expertise in Alpine tourism, authored the report, offering insights into the industry's current state and future outlook.
The report highlights varying performances across different countries, largely influenced by weather and snow conditions. China led the recovery, exceeding its pre-COVID 5-year average, while the USA, Italy, Scandinavia, and Russia also showed strong results. However, France and Austria are still in the process of full recovery, and Japan and Germany experienced historically low visitation levels.
Despite these disparities, the overall global picture remains positive, with gains in some regions balancing out losses in others. The report emphasises that while climate change impacts ski resort operations, it has not significantly affected global visit numbers thus far.Ski resorts are actively addressing climate change challenges. US ski areas are focusing on optimising snowmaking and resource use, while French resorts aim for carbon neutrality by 2037, implementing innovations such as hydrogen-powered grooming equipment. Advanced climate modelling, like CLIMSNOW in France and similar projects in Switzerland, is helping resorts plan for future snow conditions and adapt their infrastructure accordingly.
