Glaciers in retreat: Uncovering tourism’s contradictions

(Press-News.org) As glaciers around the world melt at unprecedented rates, tourism in these icy landscapes is booming, adding pressure to vulnerable regions and disrupting delicate ecosystems. A collective effort, led by UNIL and published in Nature Climate Change, points to ways of balancing tourism with conservation, awareness, and social equity.

Since the 18th century, glaciers have captivated mountaineers, scientists, and nature enthusiasts alike. In recent years, this tourist interest has surged, fueled by media coverage of their decline due to climate change. Each year, over 14 million visitors (drawn by fascination, scientific curiosity, and ecological mourning) travel to the world’s most famous glaciers, generating significant revenue for some sectors while paradoxically increasing pressure on already fragile regions.

Global experts on glacier tourism, including Emmanuel Salim, an associate researcher at UNIL’s Institute of Geography and Sustainability, have published a new perspective article in Nature Climate Change, providing an overview of the cultural and tourism dynamics surrounding glaciers. The article outlines ways to prevent maladaptation strategies from spreading, that is, tourism or government responses that, instead of raising awareness and reducing vulnerability, end up worsening conditions for local communities and ecosystems.

The Problem of Last-Chance Tourism

The analysis highlights the rise of “last-chance” tourism, a rush driven by the loss that paradoxically harms the very ecosystems visitors come to admire. In some locations, this has led to the construction of new access walkways, the installation of geotextile coverings, and even helicopter tours around glaciers. The last one being a perfect example of maladaptive practices within the tourism sector.

Often driven by economic interests, these solutions neither raise awareness of the underlying causes of glacier loss nor address safety concerns or water access for local communities. « It is particularly the case in regions such as Alaska, Greenland, and Antarctica,” explains Emmanuel Salim, the study’s lead author. “Many tourists will simply move on to the next popular destination once the glaciers are gone.”

Cultural and Political Symbols

At the same time, a form of “dark tourism” is emerging, where fascination with glaciers is combined with a desire for understanding and commemoration. Citizen-led actions take various forms, including funeral cérémonies (in Switzerland, France, Nepal, or Iceland), awareness-raising sporting events like the Glorious Glacier Ride, and petitions to restrict access to certain peaks, such as Stok Kangri in India.

These rites and initiatives demonstrate that glaciers have become symbols of climate issues, triggering processes of ecological mourning. They also serve as cultural icons and political catalysts. In Switzerland, for example, the Glacier Initiative helped enshrine the goals of the Paris Agreement into law.

Glacier Loss as a Wake-Up Call ?

Given the complexity and urgency of the situation, scientists emphasize the need to assess tourism and cultural adaptation strategies and their impacts on ecosystems and local communities, including water access and the distribution of economic benefits from glacier tourism. This work should incorporate considerations of social justice, environmental health, and governance. Analyses are also needed to understand public motivations, and how visits or rituals might help people better grasp ongoing changes, raise awareness of environmental issues, and adopt responsible, sustainable behaviors.

“In a world where 60% of ice volumes could be gone by 2100, we also need to evaluate and anticipate how recently deglaciated areas can be managed and protected,” says Emmanuel Salim. “A key question will be whether, and how, the disappearance of these icons can truly trigger systemic change, transforming sadness, anxiety, and curiosity into collective responsibility.”

Source : E. Salim, A. Varnajot, M. Carey, K. Gagné, G. Hoogendoorn, C. Howe, M. Huss, C. J. Lemieux, E. J. Stewart, Melting glaciers as symbols of tourism paradoxes, Nature Climate Change, 2026

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