Climate Change and Tourism - UNEP - Division of Technology ...
Climate Change and Tourism - UNEP - Division of Technology ...
Climate Change and Tourism - UNEP - Division of Technology ...
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
116 <strong>Climate</strong> <strong>Change</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Tourism</strong> – Responding to Global Challenges<br />
The impact <strong>of</strong> extreme events such as storms, drought <strong>and</strong> wildfires on tourist perceptions <strong>of</strong><br />
a destination are likely to be short-lived <strong>and</strong> thus the recovery period relatively quick. Other<br />
climate change impacts are likely to be more enduring in the minds <strong>of</strong> consumers <strong>and</strong> may over<br />
time widely alter the perceived attractiveness <strong>of</strong> a destination. The expansion <strong>of</strong> geographical<br />
areas susceptible to the transmission <strong>of</strong> vector-borne diseases, such as malaria <strong>and</strong> dengue 598 ,<br />
to popular tourism destinations where these diseases are not now prevalent is one such example.<br />
How would travellers respond if required to take malaria medication to go to the Azores, South<br />
Africa, Cuba or Mexico in the future? Traveller response to media coverage <strong>of</strong> regional outbreaks<br />
<strong>and</strong> perceived changes in disease risk could have important implications for travel patterns <strong>and</strong><br />
remains an important area for further research. Similarly, in the absence <strong>of</strong> credible information<br />
<strong>and</strong> recurrent exposure to messages that the Mediterranean is or will soon become too hot for<br />
comfortable holidays may eventually lead some consumers to accept this notion, especially if it is<br />
combined with education campaigns on the increased risk <strong>of</strong> skin cancer. While the effectiveness<br />
<strong>of</strong> public relations <strong>and</strong> marketing campaigns to avoid or correct consumer misperceptions about<br />
climate impacts is uncertain, this is likely to be an indispensable adaptation strategy for the tourism<br />
industry <strong>and</strong> governments alike.<br />
10.3 Dem<strong>and</strong> Implications <strong>of</strong> Mitigation Policies <strong>and</strong> <strong>Tourism</strong> Mobility<br />
National or international mitigation policies – that are policies that seek to reduce greenhouse gas<br />
emissions – have an impact on tourist behaviour in two ways. First, policies, especially market-based<br />
instruments, will lead to an increase in the costs <strong>of</strong> travel. Second, policies can foster environmental<br />
attitudes that lead tourists to change their travel patterns.<br />
<strong>Tourism</strong> transport providers <strong>and</strong> especially the airline industry seek to improve their fuel efficiency to<br />
reduce their costs <strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong>fer more competitive prices. At the same time climate change initiatives such<br />
as carbon trading are likely to increase transport costs <strong>and</strong> this may well outweigh economic savings<br />
achieved through efficiency gains. 599 Recognition should also be given to the manner in which various<br />
transport sectors are approaching mitigation, either through their own initiative or via m<strong>and</strong>atory<br />
participation in incentive-based systems. Notwithst<strong>and</strong>ing regional <strong>and</strong> unilateral efforts, such as the<br />
proposed inclusion <strong>of</strong> aviation in the EU ETS, which would require certain emission targets for all<br />
aircraft operating within <strong>and</strong> to the EU to be met, industry groups such as ICAO <strong>and</strong> IATA have called<br />
for more global measures that would act outside <strong>of</strong> incentive-based mitigation schemes. 600<br />
A number <strong>of</strong> studies have analysed the price sensitivity <strong>of</strong> air passengers, <strong>and</strong> the results vary considerably.<br />
601 Overall, it appears that leisure travellers are more price sensitive than business traveller), <strong>and</strong> shorthaul<br />
travellers are more sensitive to price increases than those on long-haul trips. The reason for this<br />
is that there are more choices <strong>and</strong> possibilities for substitution for shorter trips compared with long<br />
ones. 602 Also, tourists who can afford long-distance holidays are likely to be wealthier than average.<br />
Research also found that tourists are more likely to adjust their behaviour (i.e., travel less by air) in<br />
response to higher prices in the longer term rather than immediately. This means that an increase in<br />
airfares may not have an immediate effect (i.e., tourists cannot change their plans quickly), but over<br />
time tourists may learn to avoid the pricier option <strong>of</strong> air travel <strong>and</strong> become more savvy in alternative<br />
transport options (e.g., trains).<br />
The perception <strong>of</strong> transport, <strong>and</strong> in particular air travel, in relation to its carbon footprint is possibly<br />
more important than tourists’ responses to price changes. Recently, there has been substantial media<br />
coverage on this topic, for example:<br />
• ‘What is the Real Price <strong>of</strong> Cheap Air Travel?’, The Observer, 29 January 2006<br />
• ‘It’s a Sin to Fly, Says Church’, The Sunday Times, 23 July 2006<br />
• ‘Flugreisen als Klima-Killer’, Abendblatt, 6 July 2004<br />
UNWTO, 9 July 2008