Swiss ski resort closes because of climate change
The Glarus mountain village of Braunwald needs to reinvent itself: skiing operations are being discontinued owing to climate change. A forward-looking initiative is now set to create new opportunities for tourism.
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Sportbahnen Braunwald is adapting its services to changing climatic and economic conditions, the company announced on Friday in conjunction with Visit Glarnerland and other stakeholders. High costs and changing demand patterns had rendered the previous business model unsustainable.
The decision was preceded by a comprehensive review. The conclusion was clear: continuing “as before” was no longer possible. The key element of the strategic reorientation is the discontinuation of traditional ski operations from the 2026/27 winter season onwards.
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The stakeholders have now jointly launched a process to shape the future. “The challenges are too great to be tackled in isolation,” said Richard Bolt, chair of the board of directors of Sportbahnen Braunwald.
Through a series of workshops, a core and strategy group is to develop a shared vision for the future and clarify roles and responsibilities.
The municipality of Glarus Süd supports the project. The canton of Glarus has also pledged support through its funding schemes. It is being examined whether funds could be made available under the New Regional Policy (NRP) from the federal government and the canton. The process of developing the vision is expected to take around six months.
Translated from German, sub-edited by ts
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