Climate Change

Heat waves, rising seas, flash floods and droughts are all on the uprise and this is playing a major role in tourism. Ironically, the tourist industry is not only a victim of climate change, but also contributes to the causes of global warming. Many more people are visiting foreign countries which means that more greenhouse gases are emitted through air travel. It is estimated that in 2010 1.018 billion people will be using air travel. 

If there is an augmentation in tourism then sufficient changes have to be made in order for new resorts to become energy efficient. Resorts will have to make a contribution by using electricity from renewable energy supplies, changing the transport so that holiday makers are encouraged to use public transport and also by trying to reduce their emissions in other ways. 

Advantage?

With an increase in temperature, some countries will benefit from climate change. Countries such as the United Kingdom are likely to enjoy hotter summers and this might encourage holiday makers to either stay in the country, or to travel to the United Kingdom if it is not their home destination. However, this does not mean that other countries will benefit from warmer weather. Many other countries will suffer dramatic weather events such as the Tsunami in 2004 that was devastation for many lives, and Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Both of these events are just a taster of what is to come if the climate is not reduced. Along with the warm weather, the tourist regions famous for snow, will not be as popular because there will be less snowfall.