Winter sports are facing many challenges. Can they survive? | The Economist

The Economist
Published on Feb 8, 2018

The 2018 Winter Olympics will see athletes from a record-breaking 92 countries compete in Pyeongchang, South Korea. But winter sports face a double threat, from climate change and ageing populations

Winter sports are under threat. The multi-billion dollar industry – the livelihood for many mountain communities – faces a double problem. The popularity of skiing and snowboarding is declining in the rich world and resorts are having to cope with a warming climate. This luxury hotel is the birthplace of winter sports. In the 19th-century, Switzerland was a popular summer destination for English tourists. The owner of the Kulm at the time, Johannes Badrutt, wanted to fill his hotel all year round. So in 1864 he made a whiskey-fuelled wager with...

The Economist
Published on Feb 8, 2018

The 2018 Winter Olympics will see athletes from a record-breaking 92 countries compete in Pyeongchang, South Korea. But winter sports face a double threat, from climate change and ageing populations

Winter sports are under threat. The multi-billion dollar industry – the livelihood for many mountain communities – faces a double problem. The popularity of skiing and snowboarding is declining in the rich world and resorts are having to cope with a warming climate. This luxury hotel is the birthplace of winter sports. In the 19th-century, Switzerland was a popular summer destination for English tourists. The owner of the Kulm at the time, Johannes Badrutt, wanted to fill his hotel all year round. So in 1864 he made a whiskey-fuelled wager with some English guests...