Consuming the Vanishing: Last-Chance Tourism, Glacier Melt, and the Urban Logic of Tourist Consumption

Abstract ID: 3.11452 | Not reviewed | Requested as: Talk | TBA | TBA

Monica Bernardi (1)
Mariaclaudia, Cusumano (1)

(1) University of MILANO-BICOCCA, Milano

Categories: Tourism
Keywords: last-chance tourism, commodification, mountain consumption, overexploitation, tourism communication

Categories: Tourism
Keywords: last-chance tourism, commodification, mountain consumption, overexploitation, tourism communication

Abstract
The content was (partly) adapted by AI
Content (partly) adapted by AI

In the context of accelerating climate change, the phenomenon of last-chance tourism – the trend of visiting destinations threatened by environmental degradation before they disappear – has gained increasing attention (Lemelin et al., 2010; Lemelin & Whipp, 2019). While not a new concept, the current speed and scale of climate change have intensified this dynamic, particularly in fragile ecosystems such as glaciers, which are melting at an alarming rate (six time faster than in the 1990s) (Rounce et al., 2023). The contribution examines how last-chance tourism not only reflects but also amplifies extractive and consumerist logics already present in urban overtourism (Christin, 2019), transforming the climate crisis into a commodified spectacle. Drawing on case studies such as the Mar de Glace in Chamonix and the Pastoruri Glacier in Peru – both rebranded as attractions where tourists can “witness” the vanishing ice – the study critically explores the role of tourism marketing and media narratives in shaping demand for these endangered landscapes. The proliferation of travel influencers and tour operators promoting these sites as “must-see before they disappear” destinations raises crucial ethical and environmental concerns. While such narratives can raise awareness and, in some cases, drive conservation efforts, they also accelerate environmental degradation, reinforce tourism’s contribution to climate change, and exacerbate socio-spatial inequalities. By drawing parallels between last-chance tourism in glacial environments and the logics of urban overtourism – where spaces are consumed and exploited until their depletion – the presentation reflects on the paradox of conservation through consumption. How does the commodification of climate catastrophe shape tourist behaviour, policy responses, and local resilience? To what extent does tourism’s self-destructive cycle in urban and natural settings reveal broader patterns of crisis capitalism? Engaging with critical tourism studies, environmental sociology, and urban studies, this research highlights the urgent need to rethink tourism beyond its exploitative paradigms, questioning whether witnessing environmental loss should itself become a form of leisure consumption