At the end of March the Miami Herald - not exactly the local paper for people who see a lot of snow - listed skiing in the Swiss Alps as a very special activity indeed. Not because of the thrill of hurtling down the slopes, the challenge of learning to stay upright on snow or the fun to be had partying in chalets. Instead it was part of a list of ten things to do before global warming makes it impossible.

Talking of melting glaciers, the paper focused on the need for companies to invest in snowmaking machines and how those operators that could not afford these would fall by the increasingly warm wayside, according to a World Wildlife Fund report in 1999.

If that was the prevailing view then, things may appear a little more gloomy now for investors in such areas. Why will the tourists come, some may ask, if there is not enough of the white stuff for them to ski on?

The answer, it appears, is found in the diversification of activities. Without mentioning the climate change factor, the overseas property editor of investor magazine BuyAssociation, Paul Collins, noted that there are now plenty of outdoor activities available in the Alps that do not require so much as a single snowflake. Moreover, investors are buying Alpine property there to rent Alpine property out to those enjoying such sports as well as traditional winter activities.

He stated: "There are a variety of reasons, other than for skiing, why people buy alpine property. A lot of people like the outdoor activities you can get in these places, so anything from walking and horse riding to mountain biking and paragliding … there is quite a market for adventure and outdoor sports in these places."

In addition to this, he noted, there is flexibility in how such properties can be rented out, these being the options of engaging with groups or with individuals.

Flexibility in clientele and in seasons may bring many advantages. Global warming or not, the possibilities of Alpine summer tourism are obviously there for anyone who wants to make the most of the scenery at all times of the year. Even if there is plenty of snow in the winter, it is stating the obvious to say that investors will gain from being able to let out property that might once have lain idle in June to hikers and paragliders. Whether the threat of the snow and glaciers vanishing completely and the snow lifts falling silent is a real prospect or scaremongering, the concept itself may have helped focus minds on alternative mountain activities that will benefit investors come what may.

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