Tourism and climate change: A reciprocal relationship

SEVERAL articles have been written about the impact of climate change on factors such as food security, longevity of life, and the environment, but very few studies have actually examined climate change and tourism and the impact one construct has on the other. This relationship between both phenomena can be considered reciprocal; tourism impacts climate change and climate change impacts tourism.

Tourism activities are known to adversely impact the natural environment, consequently causing a change in climatic conditions. This is due to infrastructure and superstructure developments, water sports and transportation among other activities. This aspect of the relationship is reasonably examined, but what is missing from the literature is the influence the change in climatic conditions has on tourism. It is believed that tourism is climate-sensitive and this effect needs to be fully understood, especially since one of its greatest impacts has to do with tourism demand. It is important to note that the climate of a destination, whether a region or a country, is one of its major attributes. It is also a critical determinant in tourists’ decision to visit the destination. For instance, a decrease in snow coverage or melting of glaciers will reduce skiing activities in countries such as Switzerland, Austria and Italy.

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