As the summer sun casts its warm glow over the Austrian Alps, mountain bikers are eagerly scrambling to catch the final gondola rides up the slopes, their bikes loaded onto racks typically reserved for skis.
Austria’s iconic Alpine resorts, including the popular Leogang-Saalbach, are diversifying their offerings to adapt to the changing climate. With rising temperatures and diminishing snow, the country is investing heavily in summer sports alternatives to winter activities.
Mountain biking has become a major draw for tourists, with visitors from across Europe descending on the Salzburg region to tackle its challenging trails. Jonas Ritson, a 51-year-old biker from Estonia, praised the unique terrain of the Alps, stating, “It’s just fantastic. We don’t have these kinds of mountains and slopes back home.”
The pandemic has shifted the balance of Austria’s tourism economy, with summer now contributing more significantly to revenue than winter. Oliver Fritz, a senior economist at the Austrian Institute of Economic Research, noted that since the pandemic, summer tourism has overtaken winter tourism in economic importance. In 2023, the summer season generated over half of the €29.5 billion in industry revenue.
Bikers now represent the second largest group of summer tourists in Austria, trailing only hikers. Their numbers have surged from 22% before the pandemic to 27% in 2023.
Recent data from weather services in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland reveal that last year’s winter season was notably mild, marking the second-warmest winter in Austria since records began in 1851. This trend of less snowy winters poses a significant threat to Austria’s renowned ski resorts.
In response, Austria’s tourist destinations are embracing mountain biking as a key component of their summer offerings. University of Innsbruck sports economist Martin Schnitzer highlights the necessity of adapting to climate change by developing new tourist attractions like mountain biking.
The Austrian government is working to accommodate the growing demand for mountain bike trails by negotiating with landowners, including forest proprietors who currently impose restrictions. The existing regulations, which date back nearly 50 years, include a blanket ban on biking across land unless explicitly permitted by the owner.
Economist Schnitzer argues that a nationwide strategy is “long overdue.” Mountain bikers face fines of up to €730 for trespassing, with some disputes resulting in claims of several thousand euros, according to Rene Sendlhofer-Schag of Austria’s Alpine Club. Sendlhofer-Schag notes that Austria’s restrictive policies are unmatched in the Alps and possibly across Europe.
To address these challenges, the government is looking to successful examples like Leogang-Saalbach, which has transitioned into a year-round destination. The resort’s renowned bike park, the first of its kind in Austria when it opened in 2001, has become a major attraction, hosting mountain biking World Cup races.
Kornel Grundner, Managing Director of the resort’s cable car network, reported a nearly 70% increase in first-time visitors over the past decade, reaching 260,000 last year.
Economist Fritz anticipates that the government’s new strategy will help balance the interests of all stakeholders, noting, “Mountain biking brings with it a lot of potential for conflict,” as landowners, foresters, hunters, and hikers may not always see eye-to-eye with bikers.
Swiss mountain biker Isabella Hummel, who was visiting Leogang, observed similar challenges in her home country, stating that “the same problem exists in some cantons in Switzerland,” where mountain bikers face resistance.
Austria’s pivot towards mountain biking reflects a broader trend of adapting to environmental changes and evolving tourism demands.
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