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Snowmobiling and Climate Change: Exploring Shifts in Snowmobile Activity Using a Temporal Analogue Approach in Ontario (Canada)

Author

Listed:
  • Michelle Rutty

    (Department of Geography and Environmental Management, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada)

  • Francesca Cardwell

    (Department of Geography and Environmental Management, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada)

  • Grant Gunn

    (Department of Geography and Environmental Management, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada)

Abstract

The multi-billion-dollar snowmobile industry is predicated on natural snowfall and cold temperatures, with a near absence of research that examines industry response to climatic variability and change. Using a temporal analogue approach, this study examines 30 years of climate data (1989–2019), along with operational (grooming hours) and performance (permit sales) indicators, to provide insight into the vulnerability and adaptive capacity of the Ontario snowmobile industry in a medium (RCP4.5) and high (RCP8.5) mid-century (2046–2060) emission scenario. The results underscore important temporal and spatial variability across Ontario’s 16 snowmobile districts, indicating that snowmobilers are highly resilient to marginal conditions, changing districts and switching from seasonal to daily permits in response to warming temperatures. The findings from this study can inform risk assessments in other major snowmobile markets (e.g., Canada, Europe, USA), with future research needs discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Michelle Rutty & Francesca Cardwell & Grant Gunn, 2023. "Snowmobiling and Climate Change: Exploring Shifts in Snowmobile Activity Using a Temporal Analogue Approach in Ontario (Canada)," Tourism and Hospitality, MDPI, vol. 4(4), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jtourh:v:4:y:2023:i:4:p:37-617:d:1293625
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. M. Rutty & D. Scott & R. Steiger & P. Johnson, 2015. "Weather risk management at the Olympic Winter Games," Current Issues in Tourism, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(10), pages 931-946, October.
    2. Robert Steiger & Daniel Scott & Bruno Abegg & Marc Pons & Carlo Aall, 2019. "A critical review of climate change risk for ski tourism," Current Issues in Tourism, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(11), pages 1343-1379, July.
    3. Daniel Scott & Jackie Dawson & Brenda Jones, 2008. "Climate change vulnerability of the US Northeast winter recreation– tourism sector," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 13(5), pages 577-596, June.
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