Climate change adaptation in the ski industry: Stakeholders? perceptions regarding a mountain resort in Southeastern Europe

Within the ski industry, the production of artificial snow, product diversification, and year-round operation are the three most popular climate change adaptation strategies resorts already apply. The opinions on these of different parties involved in local tourism development are crucial for the overall success of climate change adaptation in a destination. The paper identifies and analyses similarities and differences in various stakeholders' perceptions towards these adaptation scenarios in the ski resort of Pamporovo, Bulgaria. Three stakeholder groups are subjected to study: (1) tourists, (2) representatives of the local tourism industry and authorities, and (3) local population. A mixed method approach is applied comprising questionnaire-based surveys of tourists and residents, with similar questions allowing for direct comparison, and interviews conducted with key local business and authority representatives.Results clearly indicate that the strategy most preferred by local tourism business - artificial snow production - is not one-sidedly perceived by customers and residents. Most tourists would want the resort to demonstrate its own unique atmosphere, combined with a variety of activities and year-round operation. The strategies for product diversification and all-year operation are even wider supported by residents since these would create permanent employment opportunities. However, their implementation is questioned by local business repre-sentatives. Considering the perceptions found in the study, none of the three strategies can be efficient on its own. A balanced approach of combining different adaptation strategies should be taken to achieve sustainable adaptation to all sorts of crises, not only limited to climate change.Management implications: The choice of climate change adaptation is a difficult task for every ski resort and the implementation may fail due to contrasting stakeholder opinions. Our results reveal that artificial snow pro-duction is currently seen as the most important and at the same time the most problematic adaptation strategy. While many tourists and locals are uncertain if they support it or not, business representatives strongly rely on it, with just a few interviewees considering it a short-term solution only. In theory, product diversification and four-season resort operation receive considerable support from all interested parties since they would refresh the mature ski industry and guarantee full employment opportunities. However, key informants from the business question the diversification strategy as not cost-effective and some doubt the mass success of four-season op-erations. Overall, the successful management of a small vulnerable ski destination should balance between cost-effective snow production and diversified unique product, preferably offered all-year round.