OVERVIEW

The mountains are heavily dependent on tourism, with 20 billion euros in direct and indirect revenues generated every year.

The 350 ski resorts provide 18,000 direct jobs, and more generally 120,000 jobs that depend on the ski areas being open in the winter (Avenir Montagnes press kit). These professions are defined by their seasonal and multifaceted nature. The “skiing” sector represents around 80% of snow-based tourism revenue. Regional development is also tied to tourism, involving holiday and seasonal worker property rental.

THE CONCLUSIONS FROM THE SIXTH IPCC REPORT, which include an entire section on the mountains, highlight how urgent it is to ramp up efforts to adapt to change in these areas, where global warming has its most intense and visible effects. The report shines a light on the human impact on global warming and the interactions between the climate, ecosystems, and human activity. These factors have a domino effect on the valleys, which rely enormously on the economic and environmental health of the mountains.

Like every year, the organisers of the international mountain development trade fair, MOUNTAIN PLANET and Swiss expert, Laurent Vanat, provided a preview of the figures and trends of the world snow and mountain tourism market.

If you were unable to attend the press conference on 4th April, visit the event website: www.mountain-planet.com

Published every April for the last 12 years, the report sets out and analyses data from more than 2,000 ski resorts in 68 countries. Info, figures, investments, occupancy, trends, snow cover, etc. it scours and scrutinises the ski, snow and mountain industry and changes to it; shedding light on the state of play, development trends, and the ski market potential.