This article empirically analyzes the determinants of individual tourism-related adaptation to climate change, that is, the stated willingness to choose other travel destinations, other travel periods, or other activities during the vacation as well as the stated willingness to travel less. In this respect, we distinguish between adaptation of winter sports vacations due to lacking snow reliability and other journeys apart from winter sports vacations due to higher temperatures. By examining the tourism sector, our study investigates an industry, which has not been extensively considered in economic analyses of climate change so far in spite of its worldwide huge economic relevance and strong sensitivity to climate change. Our empirical analysis on the basis of unique data from German tourists first reveals a large extent of stated tourism-related adaptation to climate change in the amount of nearly three quarters for winter sports tourists and more than 50% for other tourists. Our microeconometric analysis indicates that female tourists and tourists with a high awareness of climate change effects and increasing age are more willing to adapt. Our empirical results underline several challenges for the tourism industry and policy makers in order to transform the tourism infrastructure and to diversify holiday offers. They additionally reveal important focus groups of tourists such as (the increasing group of) elderly persons who are crucial for the development of successful future product strategies in the tourism sector.
Schwirplies, C; Ziegler, A
Adaptation of future travel habits to climate change: A microeconometric analysis of tourists from Germany
Tourism Economics