Snow reliability, snow-making and climate change in West-Austrian ski destinations

Beside the academic discussion the issue climate change and winter tourism has increasingly been given media coverage in recent years. The advance of technical snow production as cost-intensive cure-all is one answer by ski area operators in view of climate change and a stronger pressure of competition. In the academic discussion technical snow-production is often neglected. This paper outlines the development of snow making facilities in Austria and presents the complex reasons for their rapid diffusion. Statements of ski area operators provide a bridge between theory and practice. Current climatic requirements for technical snow Production and future conditions in the Tyrol region are assessed by applying a new method.