Sankt Corona’s response to climate change: diversifying tourism for a resilient future
In the face of shorter winter seasons and unreliable snowfall caused by climate change, Sankt Corona chose to shift away from its traditional snow-based tourism model. In 2014, the ski area was reduced in size and transformed into a year-round, family-friendly destination. This transformation has strengthened climate resilience and revitalized the local economy by diversifying tourism with a hybrid model that combines winter and summer activities.
Shut down or adapt?
Climate change is reshaping alpine regions at an accelerated pace: since the end of the 19th century, temperatures in the Alps have risen by nearly 2°C, twice the average rate for the northern hemisphere . Snow seasons have shortened, snow quantity and quality has declined, and the future of winter tourism has become increasingly uncertain.
Sankt Corona is no exception and, like many small alpine destinations, it faced a difficult decision: shut down or adapt? In 2014, the community made a decisive shift. The original ski area was downsized, large lifts were dismantled, and the focus turned to creating a smaller, family-oriented adventure zone with year-round activities. Today, summer guests outnumber winter visitors, thanks to that early and forward-thinking transformation.
Since 2022, Sankt Corona has been part of the Interreg Alpine Space TranStat project, in which it has been supporting other ski resorts in adapting to climate change. It serves as a successful example, sharing its experiences and lessons learned to help develop innovative and more sustainable tourism models.
Reimagining the spirit of the mountains
This shift marked a full reinvention of the resort in Sankt Corona am Wechsel, a small town of just 399 residents in Austria’s south-eastern Wechselgebiet region. The skiable area was reduced, but the spirit of the mountains was reimagined. Mountain biking and hiking trails were developed, a summer toboggan and a motor skills park opened, and some of the ski infrastructure was repurposed for summer use.
The transformation was a collaborative effort. The municipality, local residents, landowners, businesses, and entrepreneurs all contributed to this shared vision. As a result, Sankt Corona now attracts numerous day visitors from nearby cities and countries (Vienna, Hungary and Slovakia). In fact, over 3.5 million people live within a 90-minute drive!
Impact of the transition
Though the transition began with uncertainty, the village now embraces its new identity. Sankt Corona turned a crisis into opportunity. Early economic diversification brought stability, new visitors, and renewed confidence in the future. Without this shift, tourism may have disappeared entirely. Instead, the area is now far less vulnerable to climate change.
In the coming years, Sankt Corona plans to open a hotel and camping areas to encourage overnight stays which will result in longer visits, more spending in the local economy, and new job opportunities. These developments will help ensure the village continues to thrive well into the future.
