Climate Change: Implications for Tourism

This document is one of a series synthesizing the most pertinent findings of AR5 for specific economic and business sectors, in this case tourism. As AR5 shows, it is certain that the tourism sector will face significant climate impacts, and is likely to be required to make a significant contribution to measures addressing global GHG emissions.

The tourism sector will have to adapt. Given the tourism sector’s short investment horizons, high proportion of human capital to built assets, and ability to substitute destinations, the overall adaptability of the sector at a business level is high. Destinations that rely on vulnerable natural assets, where diversification is not possible, will be more challenged. A number of options are available to help the tourism industry adapt to the effects of climate change:

• Moving in response to changing conditions
• Adapting in situ, using technology or seasonality
• Anticipating challenges