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The Asian tsunami, hurricanes in the US and Caribbean, earthquakes in the Middle East and Pakistan, and floods in central Europe have dominated headlines over the last year. There could be a sinister underlying factor in some of these natural disasters – climate change.
The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has issued a wake-up call to the tourism industry to start long-term planning, and in the meantime travel exhibitions are staging debates on recovering from disasters and starting to look at the wider picture.
According to the UNWTO, climate change due to global warming could bring major changes to tourism – mainly for the worse. Regions such as the Mediterranean could become too hot for summer holidays, while a lack of snow in the Alps could ruin the winter sports business.
Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli told a recent conference: “Beach destinations, winter sports resorts and all outdoor tourism activities are highly dependent on favourable climate conditions.
“Extreme weather conditions, such as hurricanes and floods, threaten the health and safety of tourists and can destroy the basic infrastructure. When this happens, the images alone can dissuade potential tourists from travelling, with the consequent downturn in visitor numbers hitting the local economy.
“Climate change can also transform the natural environment that attracts tourists in the first place, eroding coastlines, damaging coral reefs and other sensitive eco-systems.”
The main benefit could be that warmed-up destinations appear more attractive in the winter, but that could be offset by potentially drastic damage to some regions and other sectors of the industry.
While many organisations plan only for the short-term, travel exhibitions feel there should be a debate about the future even if the main emphasis is on the here and now. Johan Lundberg, exhibition manager of the TUR 2006 show in Gothenburg, says: “As a travel fair organiser, we have a big responsibility to let this issue be discussed at our fairs. In Sweden, for instance, the winter season starts later and doesn’t last as long as even five or ten years ago. Climate change is part of a lot of disasters in the last year. It must be a global governmental issue.”
Tom Nutley, chairman of ITTFA and of Reed Travel Exhibitions, says: “There is an argument that climate change is natural and ongoing, and has been happening since the Ice Age. But now it seems to be accelerating, and exhibitions can provide a forum for discussion. The key strength of exhibitions is focusing on what is happening over the next 12-18 months, but some destinations will have to make long-term strategic decisions. We are already helping educate the industry about how to recover from natural disasters such as the tsunami.”
Stanislava Blagoeva Duschell, consultant to the Beijing International Travel and Tourism Market (BITTM), adds: “The issue of climate change and tourism is not new and has been a major topic of various discussions, conferences and workshops in the past 10 years. However, 2005 had a huge impact on all of us and made us realise how close to our homes and businesses this issue really is. Exhibitions definitely play a role in highlighting such issues. Climate change is a very complex issue and every part of society should be actively involved in identifying the problem and solving it.”
By as early as the mid-21st Century, the tourism industry could be changed forever by global warming. Environmentalists can try to hold it back, but everyone should at least be aware.
