Skiers and snowboarders hit the slopes at the Konjiam Resort in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, Jan. 25. Newsis

Ski tourism is losing its reputation as a popular winter sport in Korea due to a decrease in the ski population and the climate crisis.

According to the Ski Resort Business Association of Korea, only 12 ski resorts are set to open this winter season.

That means five ski resorts have shut down compared to 2009 and more than half have closed within the past three years.

The primary reason behind the suspension of ski resort operations is the decrease in the number of visitors.

Ski resort industry insiders say that the number of ski resort guests, which mostly consist of young people, is decreasing due to the low birthrate and an aging population.

The number of visitors to domestic ski resorts increased steadily to over 3 million for the first time in the 1999-2000 season when the tally began. Skiing and snowboarding grew into a very popular winter pastime here, surpassing 6.8 million users in the 2011-2012 season.

Since 1975 when the country saw its first ski resort opening with Yongpyong Resort in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, 17 ski resorts nationwide have opened and enjoyed a boom.

However, after the peak in 2011, the number started declining and plummeted to 1.4 million in the 2020-2021 season, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although the number recovered to about 3.8 million in the 2021-22 season, this is only half of what it was a decade ago, far behind its past reputation.

Another key factor behind ski tourism's loss of momentum is the ongoing climate crisis and consequent rise in the winter temperatures.

“Korean ski resorts rely 90 percent on artificial snow, and the machines can make artificial snow when the temperature drops below minus 3 degrees Celsius. As the weather gets warmer, ski season is being delayed and shortened, causing profitability to deteriorate,” an industry insider said.

Seen is an abandoned ski resort in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, covered in grass and trees, Nov. 1, 2023. Korea Times photo by Lee Han-ho

Star Hill Resort in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, closed down in 2021 citing a “decrease in the ski population and a decrease in winter business days due to global warming” upon its closure.

Due to the increasing winter temperature, the number of operating days for ski resorts is also decreasing. The temperatures from December to January in the winter of 2019-20 were 2.2 degrees higher than usual.

As a result, resorts have been facing management difficulties and starting to shorten operating periods due to the difficulty of slope management and a sharp increase in management costs.

Additionally, as safety emerged as a key issue after several massive social disasters, schools have tapered off ski camps while many young people opt for other entertainment activities, such as online games and camping.

Meanwhile, as the ski resorts prepare for the upcoming winter season, the winter sports industry urges the sports authorities and municipalities to support them to overcome the crisis.

Yongpyong Resort in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, prepares for opening by making artificial snow with snowmaking machines as the morning lows dropped to minus 3 degrees Celsius, Wednesday. The resort is set to open on Nov. 22. Yonhap

For instance, China created an ambitious plan to grow its winter sports tourism and boost the winter sports participation base to 300 million with at least 800 ski resorts with a projected value of $211 billion by 2030.

The plan includes financial support, increasing credit access for winter sports companies and cultivating leading winter sports brands while supporting smaller enterprises.

“The ski resort has a far-reaching influence on job creation and economic revitalization in mountainous areas,” an official from the association said. “The government and local municipalities should start fostering and protecting ski resorts.”