Climate Change and (Mal)Adaptation in Tourism-Intensive Alpine Regions

Tourism, especially in winter, accounts for a large share of economic income in Alpine regions. At the same time, these regions are more severely affected by climate change, leading to shorter winter seasons and reduced snow cover. This presents a pressing issue for areas reliant on income from winter tourism through activities such as skiing. In response, many regions are seeking to adapt to climate change by attracting tourists in summer. While this strategy can diversify growth opportunities, only a few destinations have developed summer seasons comparable in intensity to winter—and even where this succeeds economically, it may encounter social limits. This article examines the case of the Seiser Alm in northern Italy, where summer and winter tourism are similarly strong. It critically reflects on season extension as a climate change adaptation strategy and shows how rising visitor volumes beyond winter can strain local acceptance, generate sociopolitical contestation and thereby constrain tourism-led adaptation. The article concludes that relying on tourism-led growth alone may produce unintended consequences as climate change accelerates.