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A history of tourism at the Mer de Glace: Adaptations of glacier tourism to glacier fluctuations since 1741
- Source :
- Journal of Mountain Science, Journal of Mountain Science, Springer Verlag, 2021, 18 (8), pp.1977-1994. ⟨10.1007/s11629-021-6723-5⟩, Journal of Mountain Science, 2021, 18 (8), pp.1977-1994. ⟨10.1007/s11629-021-6723-5⟩
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2021.
-
Abstract
- International audience; Climate change induces profound changes in mountain territories that affect the activities pursued there. Tourism is one activity that is strongly impacted by these changes. Most research on tourism in mountain regions has focused on winter sports tourism, but glacier tourism, a summer activity, is also severely affected by climate change-induced phenomena, including glacier retreat and other geomorphological processes. Given that Alpine glacier tourism has been pursued since the 18th century and glaciers have been changing throughout this period, this article aims to examine the adaptations implemented by glacier tourism operators since the activity’s beginnings. Through analysis of historical documents, glaciological surveys and semi-structured interviews, this paper reveals how tourism activities around the Mer de Glace (the largest French glacier) have been impacted by glacier fluctuations since the first visit to the area in 1741. The study reveals that these developments have mainly been driven by glacier retreat and associated paraglacial dynamics. More recently, the shortening of the period of snow cover on the glacier has also impacted tourism activities. Most of the adaptation strategies implemented by tourism operators during the period in question are found to be reactive, consisting in the installation of safety equipment, the renovation of access points or the building of new structures to allow tourist activities to continue despite the consequences of glacier retreat. Other strategies, such as the adoption of new activities by workers previously specialised in another, are identified that could be considered transformative strategies, although these were only adopted by workers when their activity was no longer feasible. The analysis of materials from 1741 to the present also reveals that the recent impacts of climate change on glacier tourism are much more significant and diverse than those produced by past fluctuations. Therefore, it is important that stakeholders take suitable measures to ensure the sustainable future of the Mer de Glace and other glacier tourism destinations.
- Subjects :
- 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences
Geography, Planning and Development
Climate change
adaptation
010501 environmental sciences
01 natural sciences
Mer de Glace
Paraglacial
historical geography
Historical geography
0105 earth and related environmental sciences
Nature and Landscape Conservation
Earth-Surface Processes
Global and Planetary Change
geography.geographical_feature_category
Geology
Glacier
[SHS.GEO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Geography
15. Life on land
sustainability
climate change
Geography
13. Climate action
Sustainability
Period (geology)
Physical geography
glacier tourism
Tourism
Sports tourism
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 19930321 and 16726316
- Volume :
- 18
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Mountain Science
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....5ce3e78f982a088ff1e98723d982b7a3