Innovation for tourist destinations in a warming world.
Our Destination Climate RiskScan initiative aims to help tourism destinations around the world better understand and respond to climate change risks. This is a major project, that will deliver a new climate risk assessment process and new tools for destinations to use alongside it.
Whilst the project will identify and address climate risks for all types of destinations, there is a particular focus on three areas facing some of the most immediate challenges:
- Winter (snow) destinations
- Coastal (beach) destinations
- Cities
We are currently looking for forward-thinking City DMOs to take part, see below for more information.
Why this research is vital
Cities, coastal destinations and winter tourism destinations are on the frontline of climate risk – from extreme heat, drought and air quality issues to wildfires and flooding. These shocks are already disrupting visitor flows, damaging infrastructure, and undermining brand reputation. DMOs can’t afford to be unprepared.
Beach and coastal destinations face unique threats. UNESCO estimates that 50% of beaches in the Caribbean could disappear by 2050 due to rising seas and erosion. Similarly, 70% of Mediterranean beaches are threatened.
The European Environment Agency reports that by 2050, half of the ski resorts in Europe may no longer be viable due to insufficient natural snow. In North America, shorter snow seasons are already impacting tourism revenues.
Nearly 1,000 cities could face regular extreme heat by 2050
Few organisations are addressing the broader impacts of climate change and the risks posed to tourism-dependent economies and businesses. Our research will raise awareness of climate change risks for tourism-dependent communities worldwide.
The project will help destination managers assess vulnerability, manage risk, and prioritise investment and innovation to be more resilient – all whilst considering their impact on destination communities.
Sponsor our report
Position your organisation at the forefront of tourism’s climate resilience agenda.
Our forthcoming Destination Climate RiskScan report, developed by us with the CELTH collective of Dutch universities and scientists at Risklayer, will provide a pioneering global picture of climate risk in tourism. For the first time, it will reveal how countries around the world are exposed to climate-related pressures, and provide practical knowledge to support more resilient destination planning.
As a lead sponsor, you will be visibly associated with a high-profile, agenda-setting report at the point when tourism businesses, destinations, investors and policymakers are urgently seeking better insight into climate risk. Sponsorship includes cover page logo placement, the opportunity to provide the report foreword, and visibility through launch communications, including press releases, webinars and partner outreach.
This is an opportunity to demonstrate leadership, support open-access knowledge for the sector, and help accelerate practical climate resilience planning in destinations worldwide.
Join our Destination Climate and Nature Risk pilots
Help shape the next generation of risk insight for tourism destinations.
Building on our RiskScan programme, we are developing a new approach to help destinations understand future risks and opportunities for tourism through both climate and nature science. We are bringing together a consortium of expert partners, including The Long Run and Travalyst, and are seeking destinations to help pilot and shape the methodology.
This opportunity is particularly relevant for nature-based destinations that want to future-proof both tourism and the natural assets on which it depends. As a pilot partner, you would be part of an innovative, practical programme designed to generate insight that can inform planning, investment, resilience and nature-positive action.
We would work with selected destinations and partners to fundraise for this opportunity, creating a shared platform for leadership, learning and future collaboration.
Interested?
Project Partners and Pilot Destinations
We have teamed up with a coalition of global partners for this project:
- CELTH, together with its academic partners (Breda University of Applied Sciences and NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences), and Risklayer, specialists in risk and resilience science, are jointly applying and further developing the “Destination Climate RiskScan” methodology.
For the cities strand, our partners also include:
- Resonance, experts in data-led placemaking and urban strategy,
- FINN Partners, a global communications agency promoting meaningful sustainability leadership,
- Tourism HR Canada working to build a more resilient tourism workforce.
Destinations that have signed up to trial the methodology include:
Winter tourism destinations:
- Colorado, USA (Colorado Tourism Office)
- The Dolomites, Italy (Skirama Dolomiti)
- Queenstown, New Zealand (Destination Queenstown)
Island destinations:
- The Canary Islands, Spain (Canary Islands Tourism)
- The Cook Islands (Cook Islands Tourism Corporation)
- Koh Samui, Thailand (TOGETHER NZT Project, PMUC, TSRI and Marine Biodiversity Research Group, Ramkhamhaeng University)
