St. Anton am Arlberg seasonal workers navigate dual roles

A qualitative study by Isabel Grimmer examines the dual identity of seasonal workers in the alpine winter tourism sector of St. Anton am Arlberg, Austria. The research focuses on how employees navigate the simultaneous roles of being both service providers (hosts) and tourists (guests) during their contract periods.

Based on fifteen semi-structured interviews across five service sectors, the study found that these two roles coexist throughout the contract rather than alternating. The prominence of either role depends on specific situational, temporal, and social factors. The findings also indicate that employer-mandated work schedules and housing arrangements significantly limit workers' control over their time and living situations, which in turn affects their social integration and access to the seasonal worker community.