Abstract
Abstract : Climate change poses a number of challenges for the global tourism industry, with site-specific issues for many tourism destinations. The snow-based tourism industry is particularly vulnerable to the consequences of climate change, notably through rising temperatures and alterations in natural precipitation patterns. Afriski is a mountain ski resort established in the Lesotho Highlands that is facing the challenges of a changing climate. Afriski is a unique tourism experience as one of only two ski resorts in sub- Saharan Africa. This resort is actively addressing the challenges of climate change through the artificial production of snow, the temporal manipulation of the skiing season and through diversifying their tourist product offerings. Adaptation mechanisms implemented as a means of addressing climate change are critical to the longevity and success of snow-based tourism resorts and for the tourism industry in general. This study makes use of a mixed-method approach comprising face-to-face, semi-formal interviews with managerial stakeholders, questionnaire surveys completed by tourists and an analysis of climatically relevant comments posted to TripAdvisor. Tourist perceptions, as determined by this study, showed general concerns regarding climate change and tourism. Tourist perceptions however, also revealed high levels of satisfaction regarding the adaptation mechanisms implemented in order to address the challenges of climate change. This unique case study investigates the impacts of climate change on a snow-based resort in southern Africa while contributing to the body of research on climate change and tourism in the global south.
M.Sc. (Geography)