Climate Change and Tourism - UNEP - Division of Technology ...

UNWTO, 9 July 2008
Impacts and Adaptation at Tourism Destinations
The tourism sector has adapted its operations to climate zones world-wide. As Table 9.3 illustrates,
a diverse range of technological, managerial, policy and behavioural adaptations are currently in
use by various tourism stakeholders to deal with climate variability at the destination level. Climate
adaptations are rarely undertaken in isolation, but, as the example in Box 8 illustrates, commonly
involve multiple adaptations that are very specific to the destination climate and its tourism products.
The location specific nature of climate adaptation will eventually create a complex mix of adaptations
being practiced in the tourism sector across the globe. This Section of the Chapter will concentrate
on the discussion of specific adaptation strategies available for coping with two of the major impacts
of climate change (extreme events and changing availability of environmental resources), adaptation
strategies in two of the most vulnerable destinations types – mountains and coasts-islands, and the need
for adaptation at a national policy level.
Box 8 Climate adaptations used in major tourism event programming by the National
Capital Commission of Canada 422
Winterlude Festival (February) – adapting to warm temperatures and lack of snow
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Moved programming from ice-covered lakes to land
locations;
used refrigerated trucks for the ice sculpture carving
contest;
lengthened the festival from ten days to a three-weekend
event to increase the probability of suitable weather;
implemented snow-making to ensure adequate snow supply for skiing and sledding;
developed a Nordic ski track setter for low-snow conditions and concentrated Nordic ski
race trails shaded terrain that required less snow;
developed collaborations with local museums to offer package deals that promote nonclimate-dependent
activities.
Tulip Festival (May) – adapting to mismatch of tulip phenology and event schedule
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Planted tulip bulbs in shady locations;
planted bulbs with different rates of maturation;
erected snow fences to increase snow cover on flower beds
to delay bulb maturation;
irrigated flower beds during warm/early springs to delay
bulb maturation.
Canada Day Celebrations (July) – adapting to extreme temperatures
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Educated the public about heat stress;
provided shade tents and cooling stations;
position medical staff on stand-by at major events;
implemented water quality advisory system in swimming
areas.
Photo credit: Johnstone, T. (2007)
Photo credit: Johnstone, T. (2007)
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