Europe s population is ageing and decreasing. Demographic change is making not only regional and territorial adaptation necessary, but also new region-specific spatial planning and regional development. This publication focusses on demographic change and its implications for the economy and social systems in the Alpine areas, which differ widely from their surrounding metropolitan areas. It provides a specific regional in-depth study in order to help establish suitable adaptation and development programs. It covers various aspects including demographic analysis, onsite participatory strategies and implementation processes, as well as generalized adaptation strategies. Reports on pilot actions in various regions across the Alps demonstrate how demographic change can be approached from a practitioner s perspective. The volume is based on the results of the project DEMOCHANGE, which was co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund in the frame of the European Territorial Cooperation "Alpine Space" program."

Europe’s population is ageing and decreasing. Demographic change is making not only regional and territorial adaptation necessary, but also new region-specific spatial planning and regional development. This publication focusses on demographic change and its implications for the economy and social systems in the Alpine areas, which differ widely from their surrounding metropolitan areas. It provides a specific regional in-depth study in order to help establish suitable adaptation and development programs. It covers various aspects including demographic analysis, onsite participatory strategies and implementation processes, as well as generalized adaptation strategies. Reports on pilot actions in various regions across the Alps demonstrate how demographic change can be approached from a practitioner’s perspective. The volume is based on the results of the project DEMOCHANGE, which was co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund in the frame of the European Territorial Cooperation "Alpine Space" program.

Winter tourism has seen increased levels of investment in recent times, in an effort to reduce economic risk, address environmental concerns and adapt to the effects of global warming. New ski destinations are developing and merging with traditional ones to increase spatial distribution, while many established leading resorts are adapting their management models. Climate change adaptation processes are supported by the reduction of CO2 emissions and energy consumption in ski resorts. Current planning challenges include the increasing importance of scenic beauty, nature and sustainable development, as well as snow reliability, snow management and safety issues. Destination planning also requires an in-depth knowledge about ski tourists and their preferences regarding destination choice, which is impacted by many factors including the aging society, changing leisure time habits and new target markets such as China and India. This book is an essential reference for exploring these trends and the different approaches that are employed in the European Alpine region, North America, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. It: showcases best case examples and good practice regarding environmental management in ski areas; discusses current trends and adaption strategies in winter tourism, with reference to skiers' preferences; and analyses future challenges for the market. It is of particular relevance for academic researchers and practitioners working in tourism and hospitality, especially with a focus on winter destinations; and those interested in consumer behaviour, business and management, recreation, and sustainable tourism development.

Tourism is characterized by diversity, enormous growth, and multidimensional impacts on several levels. In the current turbulent environment, tourism destinations need, on the one hand to maintain and enhance their products in the tourism map, and on the other hand, to protect their resources' integrity for future generations, based on sustainability premises. This is more evident for traditional destinations in Western-Europe, as many of them face the consequences of over-growth, unsustainable development, and lack of service quality. In this respect, attention in the literature needs to be given to how destinations in the region can conceptualize and mitigate their weaknesses as well as capitalize on their competences in order to plan, develop and manage tourism products that could lead them to sustainable competitiveness in the long-term. The collection of cases in this book: * Considers global trends and forces in order to understand the marketing environment of a wide number of countries and the appreciation of the sustainable competitive development of destinations. * Explores specific marketing strategies in Western-European countries' destinations. * Is authored by scholars who have performed extensive research on tourism in the countries documented. The book is of significant interest to those researching and working within the area of tourism marketing, but also of interest to students who are seeking wider reading on the topic.