Abstract
One of the five identified territorial types of strategic importance to the Alpine Space was the type "tourism areas". Especially in the core alpine area but also the surrounding rural areas tourism often is the key economy. Demographic change has a double impact to the tourism economy: outside the Alpine Space it leads to a change of the consumer structure and their preferences in the source markets, inside the tourism regions a change of the tourism product as a adaptation reaction takes place. In addition the labour market will change dramatically as cohorts of low birth rate lead to a reduced substitution rate of retired tourism professionals. To support tourism regions to reflect their unique adaptation strategies a comprehensive survey analysed the impact of demographic change to travel behaviour. The presented results show the interrelation between social milieu, travel preferences and life phase. Pilot actions of supply and service adaptation but also product innovation in several Alpine pilot regions give concrete examples how to use demographic change as an opportunity in tourism.