The impact of climate risks on the sustainability of winter tourism destinations: the case of Azerbaijan

Xülasə

Although global climate change affects all branches of tourism, winter tourism is one of the most climate-sensitive forms of destination development. Declining snow cover, the upward shift of the snow line, shorter winter seasons, more frequent extreme weather events, and growing pressure on water and energy resources weaken the economic and environmental sustainability of mountain ski destinations. The purpose of this article is to examine conceptually how climate risks influence the sustainability of winter tourism destinations and to assess adaptation opportunities in Azerbaijan through the cases of the Shahdag and Tufandag winter-summer tourism complexes. The article uses a conceptual and analytical research approach by synthesizing international academic literature, climate-risk reports, official tourism information, and Azerbaijan-specific sources. The analysis shows that the future competitiveness of winter tourism cannot depend solely on snowmaking technologies. Instead, year-round product diversification, water and energy efficiency, early-warning systems, carbon-footprint reduction, local community participation, and climate-informed planning must be applied together. Although Azerbaijan’s mountain resorts benefit from elevation advantages and modern infrastructure, their long-term sustainability requires more systematic monitoring of snow reliability, climate-risk mapping, and adaptation-oriented investment governance.