Aussies are ditching local ski slopes for this destination

A number of Australian ski slopes have closed early this season, including Selwyn in NSW and Mt Buller in Victoria, as warmer temperatures and rain dampen snow-making in the country's south-east.

CEO of NZSki Paul Anderson - which manages three New Zealand commercial ski fields - Coronet Peak and The Remarkables in Queenstown, and Mt Hutt in Canterbury - said Australian visitor numbers were up almost 14 per cent in 2024 compared to the previous year.

"In our experience, snow conditions - and by extension, the length of the season - can influence visitation, regardless of the destination," Mr Anderson said.

"However, conditions aren't always the primary factor when guests book ski holidays. Terrain quality, proximity to the airport, cost, mountain accessibility, and sustainability all play crucial roles. Fortunately, our mountains excel in all of these areas."

Destination Queenstown CEO Mat Woods said the Queenstown, New Zealand mountains were experiencing prime conditions this season which was expected to continue until mid-October.

"[The season] started off super well with a really good dump of snow at the start of July and you had little top-ups through then and then really another good big dump at the end of July to set us up to August," Mr Woods said.

"Then it feels like we've just got a great amount of spring storms coming through right now and just giving us some nice sort of 20-centimetre top-ups, which is just gorgeous."

Australia's ski season could be half its current length by 2050, according to a new report from Australian National University and Protect our Winters.

New modelling shows the average ski season could be between 44 and 55 days shorter based on a medium to high emissions scenario.

Some ski resorts would be forced to close down if the snow line recedes to the predicted levels.

The report, Protect Our Winters Australia, Our Changing Snowscapes - Climate Change Impacts and Recommendations for the Australian Alps, found the Australian snowpack is at a 2,000-year-low, with climate change expected to change the Australian ski industry dramatically in 30 years time.

Researchers found snow cover between 1954 and 2012 has reduced by 30 per cent and the length of the ski season has already contracted by 17 per cent to 28 per cent across most Australian alpine resorts.

"Businesses and regional communities at present are experiencing the impacts of climate change and these impacts are projected to worsen rapidly without decisive climate mitigation," the report stated.

The Australian Alps contribute more than $3 billion to regional tourism, according to the report.

Australia's alpine winter tourism industry has been labelled the "canary in the coalmine" as it is globally one of the first and most visibly impacted industries from climate change, the report says.

This means how Australia experiences climate change and the response by Australian alpine resorts, communities, and governments will provide valuable information to the rest of the world, "either as a leader in climate adaptation and mitigation, or as a lesson in what not to do," the report said.