Winter tourism in Japan: how ski resorts respond to climate change?

Purpose – This study aims to examine how mountain destinations and ski resorts in Japan respond to climate change, focusing on their adaptation and mitigation strategies. Design/methodology/approach – This study used website content analysis (WCA) and keyword extraction analysis to analyze 28 cases (176 Web pages) from protect our winters (POW) Japan. Semi-structured interviews with ski resort operators were conducted to validate the findings. Findings – The analysis of 28 ski resorts in Japan revealed two dominant adaptation strategies, direct action (e.g. snowmaking) and product transfer (e.g. year-round operations) and two main mitigation strategies, enhancing energy efficiency (e.g. electricity conservation and renewable energy use) and carbon dioxide capture (e.g. forest maintenance). The results indicate that local ski resorts emphasize sustainable development goals initiatives and cost-effective measures, whereas corporate ski resorts focus on collaboration with local communities and forest ecosystem conservation. Practical implications – This study offers practical implications for ski resorts facing climate change, particularly in Japan’s winter tourism regions. It highlights strategies such as improving energy efficiency, promoting green consumption and diversifying year-round activities. Internally, resorts can adopt sustainable operations, while externally, collaboration with governments and communities can enhance resilience. Originality/value – This study offers original insights into climate change and winter tourism by examining how ski resorts in Japan communicate adaptation and mitigation strategies through their website content. The study investigates how POW Japan’s resorts reflect and support national climate policies by aligning these findings with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change policy framework. This approach provides a novel aspect for understanding how sustainability messaging aligns with broader climate goals in the winter tourism sector in Japan.