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WS 3.106

Tourism(s) in Mountain Huts in search of Sustainable Management Solutions

Details

Full Title
WS 3.106: Tourism(s) in Mountain Huts: Climate Change, Tourism flows, Visitor Impacts, and Sustainable Management Solutions
Scheduled
TBA
Location
TBA
Convener
Riccardo Beltramo
Co-Conveners
Philippe Bourdeau, Marc Langenbach, Jean Miczka, Sophie de Rosemont, Stefano Duglio,
Assigned to Synthesis Workshop
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Thematic Focus
Sustainable Development, Tourism
Keywords
Mountain Huts, Sustainable Management Solutions, Sustainable tourism

Description

Climate change is profoundly affecting tourist choices in relation to alpine environments. Mountain tourism is changing in numbers and services requested. But climate change is profoundly impacting alpine environments, with an intensification of extreme weather events posing risks to human safety and destabilizing mountain ecosystems. The retreat of glaciers and increasing water scarcity in some regions further exacerbate the environmental challenges faced by mountain huts. Simultaneously, human pressure on these environments continues to grow. Practices associated with huts are rapidly evolving, as a broader range of diverse activities emerge, while traditional pursuits such as mountaineering become increasingly complex due to the effects of climate change. The growing trend toward “unconventional” travel experiences has amplified visitor concentration in certain areas, environmental degradation, overstressed infrastructure, and significant pressure on water resources. The adaptation to these evolving public demands and practices challenges the traditional definitions of huts’ purpose and function, while also sparking conflicts among users. This raises questions: should mountain huts remain simple and rustic, or should they evolve to align with emerging trends in mountain tourism? These shifts are not only transforming the imaginaries surrounding mountain huts but also intensifying the workload of hut keepers, who must accommodate newcomers while striving to preserve the unique alpine hut culture. Welcome to scientists whose contributions provide evidence of changes in tourism, degradation due to “new” tourism and climate change, and of sustainable practices.

Submitted Abstracts

ID: 3.7708

Protecting Nepal’s Mountain Huts: Managing Climate Change and Tourism Impacts for Sustainability

Anish Neupane

Abstract/Description

Mountain huts in Nepal play a crucial role in supporting tourism in the country’s popular trekking and mountaineering regions. However, these huts face increasing challenges due to climate change, rising tourist numbers, and the environmental impact of tourism activities. Over the past decade, Nepal’s mountain regions have seen a 30% increase in tourist arrivals, leading to significant pressure on local resources, waste buildup, and damage to fragile ecosystems. At the same time, climate change is causing unpredictable weather patterns, accelerated glacier melt, and shifting seasons, which threaten the survival of these huts and the surrounding environments. This study examines the impact of climate change and rising tourism on mountain huts in Nepal, focusing on the environmental and social challenges. It explores how tourism flows affect infrastructure, waste management, and local communities, highlighting a direct correlation between increased visitation and environmental degradation. The paper also offers practical solutions for sustainable management, such as using eco-friendly materials for hut construction, implementing improved waste disposal systems, and promoting responsible tourism practices. By analyzing examples from different regions of Nepal, the study identifies successful strategies for balancing tourism growth, climate resilience, and conservation efforts. The findings underscore the urgent need for an integrated approach that ensures the protection of Nepal’s mountain environments while maintaining the economic benefits of tourism for local communities. This study calls for collaborative action among stakeholders, including government agencies, tourism operators, and local communities, to adopt sustainable practices and mitigate the impacts of climate change and tourism. By doing so, Nepal can preserve its natural heritage and continue to thrive as a global destination for adventure tourism.

ID: 3.8037

Mountain Foodways: Future-proofing Mountain Huts Gastronomies for Resiliency and Adaptation to Change

Sara Marcolla

Abstract/Description

Sustainability is not just a buzzword we keep hearing; it is often misused for marketing claims. How can we make more conscientious use of this term and avoid diluting it or getting lost in greenwashing? In mountain huts acting as restaurants and food spots, there is an increased need to balance a growing influx of tourists with sustainable practices, to cherish culinary traditions but also to embrace food sustainability, plant-based diets, and zero-waste practices. Looking for novel solutions to protecting and valorising a symbolic territory where exceptional natural and environmental heritage coexists with economic activities and tourism of international scope.

ID: 3.8914

Tourism and Mountain Huts: State of the art of Scientific Production

Stefano Duglio
Beltramo, Riccardo

Abstract/Description

This contribution aims at providing a state of the art of scientific production inherent to the topic of “mountain huts and tourism”, for giving a general understanding of the main research domains and areas of investigation.
For reaching this goal, a bibliometric study has been carried out by questioning the scientific databases of Scopus, using “mountain hut*” OR “mountain shelter*” OR “mountain refuge*” OR “alpine hut*” OR “alpine shelter*” OR “alpine refuge*” OR “mountain cabane*” OR “alpine cabane*” OR “mountain lodge*” OR “mountain hostel*” OR “alpine lodge*” OR “alpine hostel*”AND tour* OR ecotour* OR eco-tour*” as search terms in titles, keywords and abstracts.
The analysis was conducted on the 29th of January 2025. A total of 54 papers have been detected. The first paper is dated 1980, while 2022 represents the year with the highest number of contributions related to the topic (6 papers published). Regarding the typology of the publications, the analysis lists 40 articles, 9 conference papers, 3 book chapters and 2 reviews. The most represented countries are Italy and Austria, with respectively 13 and 6 contributions, and they are the most cited as well (respectively 158 and 235 citations). Provisional results on a keyword analysis report on the main areas of study. Some scholars have paid attention specifically to the relationship between climate change and mountain huts, while other authors concentrated the attention on the environmental implications of mountain huts, especially referring to water management and wastewater operations. In this perspective, the keywords analysis shows an important link between mountain huts and sustainable tourism, even in relation to the presence of protected areas.
The analysis, however, contains some limitations: First, the sample has been identified by only considering papers indexed on Scopus, and the content analysis has been carried out in reference to only the keyword and abstracts. Thus, it may be possible that some outcomes are different from abstract to full publication.

ID: 3.9758

Resilience Strategies for Mountain Huts in Morocco: Lessons from the Alps for Sustainable Tourism Management

Kawtar Anini

Abstract/Description

Mountain huts in Morocco’s Atlas region play a crucial role in supporting ecotourism, hiking, and high-altitude tourism. However, these infrastructures face increasing challenges related to tourism flow management, environmental degradation, and climate change, all of which threaten their sustainability and long-term viability.
This study analyzes the resilience strategies of Moroccan mountain huts, drawing comparisons with sustainable management models in the Alps. Using a literature review and case study approach, the research identifies key management solutions implemented in Alpine regions—such as eco-friendly infrastructure, digital visitor management, and adaptive policies—and explores their applicability in the Moroccan context.
The findings will provide practical recommendations for policymakers and tourism operators on how to integrate innovative sustainability practices, digital management solutions, and community-driven strategies to ensure the resilience of mountain huts and enhance Morocco’s competitiveness in the global mountain tourism sector.

ID: 3.9802

Sustainability Assessment of Mountain Huts: a GIS-based Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis

Sara Tegoni

Abstract/Description

Ensuring the environmental sustainability of mountain huts presents a unique challenge, as these structures must operate in remote and demanding alpine environments. This thesis investigates the application of a Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) framework for evaluating a group of mountain huts in Trentino (Italy). The evaluation focuses on the environmental sustainability of the operational equipment and on the challenges of the surroundings of each structure (e.g. remoteness, natural water resources). Point-based MCDM analysis is used to rank the mountain huts based on specific criteria. Spatial MCDM is employed to produce a map expressing the availability of natural water resources (WAMap) within the study area. The findings highlight the potential of spatially-based MCDM methods for sustainability assessment of mountain huts. There is strong agreement across multiple MCDM configurations regarding the most and least sustainable huts. Structures with intermediate ranks may have the greatest range for improvement. The Water Availability Map confirms that huts in dolomitic limestone areas are the most threatened by water scarcity driven by climate change and require external solutions. To enhance sustainability efforts, alpine organizations should prioritize data collection on visitor attendance, water consumption and energy use. This would enable MCDM frameworks to develop more targeted and effective solutions for each hut. True innovation in mountain hut management lies not only in technology but in the ability to integrate data, territory and community for a more resilient and sustainable mountain environment.

ID: 3.10217

The Evolution of Mountain Tourism: Impacts on Alpine Huts Management, Visitor Behaviour, and Food Waste Management

Giulia Cambruzzi
Martini, Umberto; Buffa, Federica; Morellato, Massimo

Abstract/Description

Mountain tourism has evolved significantly over time (Pröbstl-Haider et al., 2016; Bertocchi et al., 2021), with a noticeable increase in visitor numbers in European Alpine huts in recent years (Río-Rama et al., 2019; Eurostat, 2025; Ispat, 2025). The Alps’ strategic location and improved transportation facilities (such as lifts and roads) have led to greater mountain accessibility, with environmental and management challenges as a result (Becken & Hay, 2008). Today, these destinations are often visited by families with children, mountain bikers, casual hikers, and those simply seeking fresh air and a nature-filled lunch. This shift in tourism has changed how visitors engage with the mountains. Instead of extended stays, many now visit for one-day excursions, often centered around mountain huts, or as short stops in multi-destination trips. The study focuses on the Euregio region, with selection criteria for mountain huts that consider various factors. First, we look at the categorization of huts (A, B, C, D, E) based on the CAI system. Further criteria include 1) the average number of meals served daily, 2) menu variety, 3) the type of services offered (whether the hut is purely a restaurant or also provides accommodation), and 4) ownership structure (associations or private management). Additionally, 5) the role of the hut manager (whether they also oversee the kitchen or focus on business operations) and 6) seasonality (whether the hut operates year-round or seasonally) are key aspects. Finally, 7) the volume of provisions stocked per season is considered, as it impacts both logistics and potential food waste. This structured approach ensures that the research covers a range of mountain huts, providing valuable insights into food waste management in these alpine settings in order to proceed with the research a develop a strategic management tool for mountain hut operators to mitigate the negative impact of tourism on the mountain environment.

ID: 3.11151

The Mountain hut from shelter to emotional place: evolution of accommodation in the highlands

Alberto Gianola

Abstract/Description

A mountain hut is a building in an isolated alpine location, not accessible by normal roads, equipped for overnight stays and with a kitchen and indoor toilets. The hut can be managed or unmanaged. If managed, there is a manager who provides meals and beds to customers who pay a fee. In the past, the managed hut offered a sober welcome to visitors to the mountain because of the view of its users (who were willing to forego comfort). Nowadays, the mountain is visited by a greater number of people with different purposes: in addition to sportsmen and women who use the hut as a stopover, there is an increasing number of excursionists who make the hut their destination. The increase in the number of users of the alpine environment has led to an increase of customers, even if only potential customers, of mountain huts, with significant consequences: the hut is transformed into a business, a firm susceptible to high profitable entrepreneurial management, entrepreneurial management which becomes a factor in the increase in the number of its users. In order to maximise profits, the entrepreneurial manager has an interest in attracting as many customers as possible. He is therefore encouraged to offer quality standards that are increasingly similar to those of a hotel, in order to attract those who are not interested in destinations other than the hut and who are not prepared to sacrifice comfort. The refuge is becoming more welcoming. But not only that. The hut is becoming the driving force and theatre for leisure and cultural initiatives, even those not strictly related to the mountains. Technological developments make it possible to offer services and activities that were unthinkable in the past. The offer expands to the point where the hut becomes an emotional place, a place where customers go for increasingly constructed and expensive experiences. The emotional hut increases its negative impact on the surrounding environment: entrepreneurial management pushes for the expansion of the structure and easier access to it, by motor vehicles, the bringing of the city into the mountains.

ID: 3.12237

Mountain Huts as Climate Sentinels: Perceptions of Water Scarcity Through Interviews with Hut Managers and Decision-Makers

Sara Stemberger
Leonardi, Chiara; Mencarini, Eleonora; Massa, Paolo

Abstract/Description

Mountains are considered as climate change hotspots, experiencing nearly twice the global average temperature increase. In some specific areas of the Italian Alps, water scarcity has emerged as a clear indicator of this ongoing transformation. High-altitude mountain huts serve as sentinels of climate change, as they are situated in fragile environments where sustaining life is challenging, and resources such as energy, water, and food are limited and difficult to transport. Their efficient operation depends on careful and well-balanced water and energy management. In our research study, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 mountain hut managers and 3 decision-makers from the Eastern Alps of Italy to explore the resilience strategies they employ to balance competing objectives: providing good quality tourist services while managing water rationing. The selected huts are located in diverse environments, altitude and geographic areas in the Autonomous Province of Trento, providing different perspectives on the issue of water management and highlighting the varied challenges and adaptive strategies employed in response to water scarcity. The study explored the practices, perceptions, and values of actors revolving around alpine refuge showing how people in water-stressed environments perceive changes in the mountain ecosystem, consider the ongoing challenges and think about sustainability, constantly balancing trade-offs among competing needs, such as resource conservation, tourist services, and long-term ecological resilience. The interviews provided insights into various conservation activities, as well as concerns regarding the lack of long-term planning and crisis-driven water management. They also highlighted the needs and survival strategies adopted by hut managers, along with the changing dynamics driven by the evolving alpine climate.

ID: 3.12633

Mountain Huts Managers as Observers of Overtourism Impacts in Mountain Areas

Giorgio Mina
Beltramo, Riccardo; Peira, Giovanni; Duglio, Stefano

Abstract/Description

Purpose: The growing interest for outdoor activities in mountain areas is leading to increasing challenges for territories already impacted by climate change. In this context, mountain hut managers emerge as key stakeholders to witness the current state of tourism in mountain areas. Drawing on their valuable experience, this study aims to understand whether the new tourism demand is sustainable within the constraints of climate change. Or whether, on the contrary, the new demand is exceeding the carrying capacity of mountain territories.
Methodology: To answer this research question, a survey was conducted to collect opinions on tourism impacts in mountain areas. The analysis included mountain huts operating throughout Italy. Both private, public and Italian Alpine Club (CAI) owned huts were included in the analysis. Only managed refuges were included, thus excluding all those without staff. The survey contained general questions about mountain huts, perceived changes in tourism demand and supply, the possible impacts of climate change on tourist demand and resources needed to manage mountain huts. Finally, the survey contained questions about managers’ opinions on tourism’s impact on the mountain environment and experienced overtourism situations.
Findings: A total of 250 mountain hut managers participated in the analysis, accounting for about 30% of the mountain refuges operating in Italy. Most respondents highlighted that overtourism is already a reality in several areas and that the impacts can already be seen. Hut features, such as accessibility and services offered, emerge as significant in explaining differences in perceived tourism impacts. Mountain hut managers pointed out that mountain tourism could be sustainable if managed efficiently and if tourists were properly educated.
Implications/Originality/Value: The impact of excessive tourism in mountainous areas emerged as an overlooked issue in the literature. Specifically, the point of view of mountain hut managers has not been analysed yet. This research will help to understand where and why the greatest tourism impacts are emerging and the best management strategies to overcome them.

ID: 3.13563

Mountain huts: Anchors of lightly developed mountain areas

Sophie De Rosemont
Miczka, Jean

Abstract/Description

Mountain areas classified as “lightly developed” find themselves situated between expanding urban zones (driven by ski resorts) and strictly protected spaces where recreational activities are restricted, creating an interstitial space that is difficult to define yet increasingly shaped by outdoor sports. These areas are characterized by minimal infrastructure, primarily trails, pastures, and huts, contrasting with the concentrated development of ski resorts. Activities such as hiking, mountain biking, and trail running have flourished in these areas, bringing both new opportunities and pressures.

Huts, which play a pivotal role in facilitating access to these landscapes, function as indispensable infrastructure for both recreational and professional pursuits. Beyond serving hikers and climbers, these structures support guides, rescuers, and pastoralists, thereby maintaining a form of seasonal or permanent habitation that challenges the perception of these areas as wilderness. Their presence signifies a long history of human activity in high-altitude environments, from prehistoric shelters like Faravel to contemporary managed refuges.

This study focuses on the Écrins and Mont-Blanc massifs in France and the Valais Alps in Switzerland. Since 2017, we have been conducting participatory research with hut wardens, guides, policymakers, and other key stakeholders to examine governance models, common challenges, and the evolving role of huts. Long-term monitoring of hut visits provides insights into changing practices, while qualitative interviews capture diverse perspectives on “lightly developed mountains.” By integrating historical, empirical, and governance perspectives, our research refines the concept of “lightly developed mountains” from a hut perspective

WS 3.105: Nature-based transformations in mountains

WS 3.107: Nature-based Solutions for mountain areas – Case studies, Projects and Reviews from Europe

#IMC: September 14 - 18 2025

WS 3.106

Tourism(s) in Mountain Huts in search of Sustainable Management Solutions

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