Tourism powers many mountain-town economies. But as climate impacts accelerate — from low-snow winters to drought, wildfire, and shifting visitor patterns — tourism leaders are increasingly asking a new question: can the industry also help communities become more resilient?
That question was the focus of Mountain Towns 2030’s recent webinar, “Can Tourism Play a Role in Climate Resiliency?”, featuring Hilary Lewkowitz, Director of Destination Development & Sustainability at the Colorado Tourism Office; Eliza Voss, Vice President of Marketing at Aspen Chamber Resort Association; and Sarah-Jane Johnson, Tourism & Destination Services Manager for the City of Durango.
The conversation highlighted a growing shift in mountain communities: tourism is no longer being viewed only as an economic engine but as a potential partner in climate action.
Tourism’s Climate Challenge
Tourism is both vulnerable to climate change and a contributor to it. Visitors are drawn to snow, rivers, forests, and outdoor recreation — all of which are being affected by warming temperatures, drought, wildfire risk, and changing precipitation patterns.
Transportation remains the largest emissions challenge. Roughly 72% of tourism-related emissions come from transportation, with aviation accounting for the majority.
At the same time, climate impacts are already reshaping visitor behavior. As Hilary Lewkowitz explained, recent winters have shown how quickly patterns can shift: “We saw a pretty massive decline in overnight stays at our mountain communities… and about a 10% decline in visitor spending.”
For mountain towns that rely heavily on tourism, those changes carry real economic consequences.
From Promotion to Stewardship
In response, tourism leaders are rethinking their approach.
Through its Destination Stewardship Strategic Plan, the Colorado Tourism Office is encouraging destinations to move beyond simply increasing visitation and instead consider tourism’s broader impact on communities.
That includes applying a “climate lens” to existing efforts — from marketing to product development.
A key insight: sustainability messaging alone doesn’t drive behavior change. Instead, destinations are reframing how they present options to visitors.
This approach aims to make lower-impact choices the most convenient and appealing option, rather than asking visitors to sacrifice.
Aspen: Aligning Tourism with Community Values
In Aspen, climate work is deeply tied to long-standing community values.
The Aspen Chamber Resort Association works alongside city government to promote sustainability initiatives, support responsible businesses, and align visitor messaging with local priorities.
Because the tourism organization does not directly control policy, much of its role is about coordination and communication. “We really can become a facilitator to distribute the information,” said Eliza Voss.
That includes highlighting public transportation, supporting waste diversion efforts, and elevating businesses participating in sustainability programs.
Durango: Integrating Tourism into Climate Planning
Durango has taken a different approach by embedding tourism directly into city government.
That shift has created new opportunities for collaboration across departments, from sustainability to transportation to economic development.
“It really seemed to me to be a governance opportunity,” said Sarah-Jane Johnson, “because tourism now has the right seat at the table.”
Durango has also developed its own Climate Action Plan, with tourism playing a role in areas like food waste reduction, dark-sky certification, and transportation decarbonization.
One current initiative is a food waste pilot program involving local restaurants and hotels — an example of how tourism can help drive change within local business systems.
Economic Resilience Is Climate Resilience
As climate impacts intensify, mountain towns are also reconsidering their economic dependence on tourism — particularly winter tourism.
Communities are exploring ways to diversify, including arts and cultural programming, special events, and year-round experiences.
At the same time, risks like wildfire remain a major concern. Johnson pointed to a past example in Durango, where wildfire disrupted a key tourism asset:“It has literally shut down… the train was stopped… that had a huge economic impact,” she said.
The takeaway is clear: climate resilience is inseparable from economic resilience.
The Path Forward
Tourism organizations are uniquely positioned to influence visitor behavior, convene stakeholders, and help align economic activity with community goals.
As mountain towns look ahead, the role of tourism is evolving — from simply attracting visitors to helping protect the places they come to experience.
Key Takeaways for Mountain Towns
- Bring tourism to the table: Engage tourism leaders early in climate and resilience planning.
- Shift from growth to stewardship: Focus on the quality and impact of visitation, not just volume.
- Use tourism to influence behavior: Make low-carbon choices easy, convenient, and appealing.
- Strengthen public-private partnerships: Align tourism organizations with local governments and sustainability efforts.
- Diversify the visitor economy: Invest in year-round experiences like arts, culture, and events.
- Start with practical initiatives: Food waste reduction, EV infrastructure, and dark-sky programs can create immediate impact.
- Align messaging with community values: Attract visitors who respect and support local priorities.
Plan for climate volatility: Build strategies that account for changing snowpack, drought, wildfire, and shifting demand.