"Once Attracted 100,000 at Its Peak"... As People Leave, This Place Disappears—South Korea Is No Exception

Worsening Operational Struggles Amid Declining Demand... Wave of Ski Resort Closures
Changing Spending Patterns, Demographic Shifts, and the Impact of Climate Change

The southernmost ski resort in Japan has closed its doors after 35 years, and three ski resorts in South Korea have also shut down in the past three years. With a decline in visitors and the impact of climate change, it is becoming increasingly difficult for ski resorts to survive.

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"Once attracted 100,000 visitors"... Drop in customers, operational struggles, and climate change

According to the Yomiuri Shimbun and other sources, Yukihiro Osako, mayor of Gokase Town, held a press conference on July 7 and announced that the Gokase Highland Ski Resort will cease operations starting this winter. He explained, "With the enormous costs required to replace the equipment, it is extremely difficult to continue operations while also shouldering the financial burden."

Gokase Highland, which opened as a municipal resort in 1990, once drew over 100,000 winter visitors at its peak. However, the number of users has steadily declined since then, and during the last season (December 2025 to February 2026), the number of visitors dropped to an all-time low of 15,000.

The decline in visitors, coupled with the effects of climate change, has further exacerbated management difficulties. As warming temperatures have reduced snowfall, the costs for installing artificial snow machines and maintaining the facilities have increased significantly. The cumulative deficit reportedly reached 1.2 billion yen (approximately 1.1 billion won) as of last year.

Similar concerns are spreading across Japan. The number of ski resorts in Japan peaked at 698 in 1999, but fell to 417 last year. This means that about 40% have closed since 1999.

According to the White Paper on Leisure by the Japan Productivity Center, the number of ski and snowboard enthusiasts in Japan stood at 4.2 million in 2024, less than a quarter of the peak in 1998 (18 million).

Even the snow-rich northern regions are not exempt. Asahi Ski Resort in Shibetsu, Hokkaido, closed in March, and Omagari Family Ski Resort in Daisen, Akita Prefecture, will also cease operations after this season.

Photo is not directly related to the article content. Photo by Moon Honam

Not just Japan... The ski industry on the brink

The situation is not much different in South Korea. According to the Korea Ski Resort Business Association, the number of ski resort visitors nationwide plummeted from 6.86 million during the 2011–2012 season to 1.46 million during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although there has been some recovery since then, the number remains at only about 60% of the peak. The number of ski resorts has decreased from 17 in 2009 to 13.

According to a recent report by the Bank of Korea Gangwon Branch titled "Winter Tourism Conditions in the Gangwon Region for the 2025–2026 Season," the seven major ski resorts in Gangwon Province recorded 1,247,000 visitors—a decrease of 15.3% (225,000 people) compared to the previous season (1,472,000 visitors).

The industry cites changes in leisure spending patterns and demographic shifts as the reasons behind the decline in visitors. The main customer base—teenagers and young adults—has shrunk, and those who remain find it increasingly difficult to spend money on skiing due to the relatively high costs involved.

In addition, it is pointed out that climate change is worsening operational conditions for ski resorts, as winter temperatures and snowfall have become more unpredictable.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.