title: Convinced, ambivalent or annoyed: Tyrolean ski tourism stakeholders and their perceptions of climate change.
abstract: Its focus on snow-dependent activities makes Alpine winter tourism especially sensitive to climate change. Stakeholder risk perceptions are a key factor in adaptation to climate change because they fundamentally drive or constrain stakeholder action. This paper examines climate change perceptions of winter tourism stakeholders in Tyrol (Austria). Using a qualitative approach, expert interviews were conducted. Four opinion categories reflecting different attitudes toward climate change issues were identified:convinced planners,annoyed deniers,ambivalent optimists,convinced wait-and-seers. Although the findings generally indicate a growing awareness of climate change, this awareness is mainly limited to perceiving the issue as a global phenomenon. Awareness of regional and branch-specific consequences of climate change that lead to a demand for action could not be identified. Current technical strategies, like snowmaking, are not primarily climate-induced. At present, coping with climate change is not a priority for risk management. The findings point out the importance of gaining and transferring knowledge of regional and branch-specific consequences of climate change in order to induce action at the destination level.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 52, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trawöger
keywords: Austria; CEOs, Chief Executive Officers; Climate change impacts; Risk perception; Ski tourism; Snow-based winter tourism; Stakeholder; Tyrol