Climate change has long been in the news for the gradual creeping up of the temperatures, however increasing risks of wildfires and droughts mean holiday-makers could avoid Mediterranean resorts in favour of typically cooler climates, according to an EU report.
The change, the report predicts, would see traditionally popular tourist resorts such as Spain losing tourism industry to countries of a cooler climate, such as Slovakia.
Jacqueline McGlade, the chief scientist for the United Nations environment programme (UNEP) spoke to the Guardian newspaper and said the report was "modest but robust", and that tourism operators should be doing more to prepare for the effects of a warming continent.
"It is absolutely clear that the comfort zone for humans in the Mediterranean is going to be under seasonal threat from climate change. In the short term it will be disruptive but it is also an opportunity for the industry to offer the public different types of travel experience that cater to more diverse tastes and styles than just the sunshine beach holiday."
Nikki White, the head of destinations and sustainability at the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), has said the industry was working to mitigate the damaging effects of tourism on the environment through schemes such as Travelife certification.
"The scheme, which was developed by ABTA, helps hotels improve how they manage their environmental and social impacts, such as reducing their energy or water consumption, and ensuring they support the needs of local people, businesses and culture."
Cedrec's take
Whilst the report that people may be more inclined to take holidays outside of the usual peak season and holiday elsewhere seems a frivolous topic to be concerned with, it does raise the issue with climate change.
Countries such as Spain and Portugal will most definitely see an increased temperature, if climate change cannot be slowed, and this will have an impact, not only environmentally, but industrially. The tourism industry is a massive portion of the countries' income and dependence at a time when other tourist-heavy countries such as Greece are struggling so much already, climate change is only yet another worry for the livelihoods of Mediterranean residents.
