About this report
Destinations are likely to be affected differently by climate change due to local climatic and socio- economic conditions. One of the most serious projected impacts is that on small, low-lying island nations such as the Maldives, where rising sea levels are not only causing the erosion of beaches and coasts, but are also threatening to submerge whole land masses as well. Climate change is also anticipated to increase the incidence of tropical diseases in the world, and consequently, usurp both tourism activities and demand.

This report examines the impact climate change is having on a broad range of destinations around the world. It begins with a short introduction to the global tourism industry before the impacts of climate change of tourism and vice versa are explored. Five case studies are then presented, each representing a different geographic region, socio-economic conditions, and climate.

Contents

Introduction

Data Sources

Background
International tourism
Figure 1: World’s top ten tourism destinations, 2004 and 2005
Figure 2: International tourist arrivals, by region, 2005
Figure 3: Six top international tourism flows, by region, 2004
Climate Change and Tourism – Impacts and Predictions

Coasts and beaches
Mountain regions
Figure 4: Summary of climate change predictions
Figure 5: Summary of climate changes and their probable impact on tourism flows
Tourism’s Contribution to Climate Change

Figure 6: Contribution of air travel to global warming
Tourism and Climate Change: Case Studies

Australia
Introduction
Figure 7: Australia GDP, 2001-05
Climate
Tourism
Figure 8: Key tourism indicators of Australia, 2001-05
Potential impacts
Figure 9: Climate change scenarios for the Australian Alps, 2003
Figure 10: Impact of global warming on the Great Barrier Reef
Brazil
Introduction
Figure 11: Brazil GDP, 2001-05
Climate
Tourism
Figure 12: Key tourism indicators of Brazil, 2001-05
Potential impacts
The European Alps
Introduction
Climate
Tourism
Figure 13: Key tourism indicators for top five snowsport destinations in European Alps, 2005/06
Figure 14: Top five snowsport destinations in Europe, by no of ski resorts & skier visits, 1995/96 & 2004/05
Potential impacts
The Maldives, Indian Ocean
Introduction
Figure 15: The Maldives GDP, 2001-05
Climate
Tourism
Figure 16: Key tourism indicators of the Maldives, 2001-05
Potential impacts
Southern Europe: the Mediterranean regions
Introduction
Climate
Tourism
Figure 17: Key tourism indicators for southern Europe, 2005/06
Potential impacts
Figure 18: Number of forest fires and burnt areas in southern European countries, 1980-2005
The Response to Climate Change by the Tourism Research Community

Sustainable and Ecotourism: Responding to Climate Change

What Next?

Index to Travel & Tourism Analyst

Index grouped by geographic area
Index to TTI Destination Reports 1993-2006
Country reports
Special Reports Index