arbiter
JournalsAccount

Systems thinking to adapt tourism to climate change: Application to summer glacier skiing in Switzerland

Edwin P. Gerber et al.

Annals of Tourism Research Empirical Insights2025https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annale.2025.100172article
ABDC B
Weight
0.53

Abstract

Climate change affects mountain tourism and summer glacier skiing, a highly vulnerable activity. This paper explores the complex dynamics affecting summer glacier skiing in Swiss Alpine destinations. The methodology involved conducting 26 semi-structured interviews followed by three workshops with tourism stakeholders. Applying systems thinking, this research highlights the challenges faced by summer glacier skiing destinations and the ongoing commitment required amid evolving cryosphere dynamics. Sustaining summer glacier skiing touches on vulnerability factors in climatic and socioeconomic dimensions. The disappearance of the activity has implications for the cable car companies, the hospitality sector and the wider mountain tourism industry. The systems thinking approach in this research reveals feedback loops and leverage points, such as uncertainties about the future of the activity. • We use systems thinking to understand tourism adaptation to climate change. • Niche activities such as summer glacier skiing are important for the destination. • Climate hazards in the glacier affect stakeholders in the destination. • Systems thinking allows stakeholders' vulnerabilities to be addressed.

8 citations

Open via your library →

Cite this paper

https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annale.2025.100172

Or copy a formatted citation

@article{edwin2025,
  title        = {{Systems thinking to adapt tourism to climate change: Application to summer glacier skiing in Switzerland}},
  author       = {Edwin P. Gerber et al.},
  journal      = {Annals of Tourism Research Empirical Insights},
  year         = {2025},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annale.2025.100172},
}

Paste directly into BibTeX, Zotero, or your reference manager.

Flag this paper

Systems thinking to adapt tourism to climate change: Application to summer glacier skiing in Switzerland

Flags are reviewed by the Arbiter methodology team within 5 business days.

Evidence weight

0.53

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.70 × 0.15 = 0.10
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.