Switzerland maps adaptation strategies for future winter tourism

Clear Challenges, Concrete Solutions

Winter sports vacations are not disappearing—they are evolving. Switzerland still boasts natural advantages, but destinations must navigate uncertainty and shorter snow seasons at lower altitudes. Adaptation requires foresight: reorganizing offerings, making strategic investments, and differentiating positions in the market.

The Snow Compass identifies three broad strategies, all observable in practice today:

Strategy A – Double Down on Winter Sports
Destinations at higher altitudes are reinforcing their winter offerings with innovative infrastructure and technology, rather than just maintaining the status quo:

Optimized piste preparation (e.g., Davos, Pizol).

Expanded artificial snow systems, with advanced technology and sustainable water management.

Alternative terrain use: prioritizing north-facing slopes and clustering the most snow-reliable areas (Flumserberg, SG; Sörenberg, LU).

Interregional partnerships: AlpsPass, Magic Pass, Arosa-Lenzerheide (GR).

High-altitude accommodations:

Whitepods (Monthey, VS) offers eco-luxury lodges at 1,400 m, blending sustainability with soft-snow experiences like dog sledding and hiking.
Frutt Mountain Resort (Melchsee-Frutt, OW), situated above 1,900 m, transformed a day-trip site into a full-fledged winter resort, appealing to families and high-end visitors alike.

These examples show that accessibility, infrastructure quality, and clear positioning are key to long-term success in winter sports tourism.

Strategy B – Adapt to Uncertain Snow Conditions
Other regions are reinventing winter tourism beyond skiing, offering activities and experiences that attract visitors even in low-snow years:

Fatbiking, snowtubing, panoramic sledding (Villars, Leysin, Atzmännig).

Wellness and thermal experiences (Bains de la Gruyère, Leukerbad).

Cultural events and festivals (Arosa Humorfestival, Caprices in Crans-Montana).

Targeting international markets seeking a “touch of snow” (e.g., Brazil, which saw a 25% increase in mountain-region overnight stays in winter 2024/25).

Leveraging sunshine and scenic high-altitude landscapes above fog (Rigi, Säntis, Stockhorn).

Such strategies also help fill hotels outside peak winter periods, boosting overall occupancy.

Strategy C – Focus on Other Seasons
Some resorts diversify to offset potential winter declines:

Charmey (FR) repositioned as a four-season destination, opening a 2.5 km slide park that draws visitors year-round.

Sattel-Hochstuckli (SZ) shifted from unreliable low-altitude ski operations to family-focused summer and autumn offerings, now generating more revenue in summer than winter.

Moléson (FR) invests in health, nature, and biking trails to attract visitors across all seasons.

This approach highlights that the future of mountain tourism in Switzerland relies not only on snow but on innovation, differentiation, and long-term vision.