Strategic Adaptation to Climate Change in Australian Tourism

Climate change poses significant challenges to Australia's tourism industry, threatening iconic destinations such as the Great Barrier Reef and ski resorts in mountainous regions. The research compiles data from various sources including governmental reports, scientific studies, and tourism industry analyses to understand the extent of climate-related impacts. Key findings include rising temperatures affecting tourist comfort levels, altered precipitation patterns influencing natural attractions, and extreme weather events causing disruptions. Adaptation strategies discussed encompass policy adjustments for sustainability, infrastructure resilience enhancement, and destination-specific management plans to mitigate adverse effects. Additionally, it emphasizes the role of stakeholders in adopting innovative technologies and promoting eco-friendly tourism practices. The paper concludes with recommendations for policymakers, businesses, and tourists on fostering a resilient and adaptive approach to ensure the long-term viability of Australia's tourism sector amidst ongoing climate challenges.

Tourism Planning Environments

Contents
Position Statement......................................................................................................................3
Background context...................................................................................................................4
A statement of need....................................................................................................................7
Scope of the Proposed Plan......................................................................................................10
Proposed process......................................................................................................................12
References................................................................................................................................13

Position Statement
While discussing the trends and the need for managing climatic change on tourism is always
interesting to start with the facts and figures on the situation of tourism. Tourism is generally
acknowledged as being one of the few sectors of economy that has more than significant
growth aspects and is characterized as a catalyst for peace and prosperity Despite the
increasing competition in world tourism, Australia is still amongst the top ten destinations.
The country has major density and diversity of tourist attractions. If Australia wishes to hold
the position, the management from climatic conditions are needed in this sector very
importantly. Tourism in Australia accounts for more than 500 billion dollars’ expenditure a
year by the citizens. It constitutes for around 30 percent of the Australian external trade in
services and develops the potential for additional jobs. Tourism is one of the important
sectors of the economy. GDP generated by the tourism represents mainly 5 percent in the
core industry. Certain trend in the Australian tourism has been determined, suggesting that
the tourist arrivals in the country will double in coming 25 years and that this doubling will
take place in Australia. This will mean that by the end of 2020 more than 500 million cross-
border tourists per year will arrive in the country. At the same time, there will be a large
increase in the number of tourists. Tourism is very specific sector, so specific maintenance
for this sector is needed. For the climatic changes, however, there are general and basic needs
for everyone. For instance, lack of knowledge regarding climatic change maintenance has
been identified by the national tourism organization of the Australian country as a lasting
issue and even as a competitive disadvantage.
The health of the reef and the sustainability of the 5-billion-dollar tourism industry are
inextricably linked. In the past years, tourism industry of Australia has been experiencing
significant changes in visitation to the Great Barrier Reef as well as changes in the qualities
of the reef sites because of the coral bleaching effect, poor quality of water and climatic
changes. The increasing frequencies and intensity of the storms and cyclones have impacted

the opportunities for reef experiences which has directly affected the tourism industry
(Lough, 2007). This research study aims to help the tourism industry to acknowledge the
need for managing climatic change disasters for the purpose of addressing the coming future
tourists in the country and also sustainable future. This study will be undertaking
comprehensive analysis and evaluation of the climatic conditions for addressing the issues in
tourism (GBRMPA, 2017).
Background context
The Australian hospitality industry is experiencing climatic change impact. This has been
reported even on the media platforms. It is harder than ever to maintain the conditions
because of the worst climatic changes happening in the country (Tourism-master, 2009). A
climate for change in Australia perfectly captures the place in seminars and sentiments of the
people of Australia. The country is caught by the devil of climatic change. Climatic change
has been the topical issue for years now. Basically, it is about the changes that have mainly
occurred in the modern climate because of the results of human activities spearheaded mainly
by the rapid rise of industrialization. Scientists have been predicted around 0.7-degree Celsius
rise in temperature per decade with the advent effects in the 10 to 15 increase in the winter
rainfall which will result in more winter, warm winter and drier, more intensely the hot
summers. The connection in between the climatic changes and tourism can be considered to
be bidirectional. The industry of tourism cannot exonerate itself from the blame of
contributing towards the changes of climate even though it is impacted by it (Becken, 2010).
As per the UNTWO transportation causes around 75% of the carbon dioxide emissions
generated by the tourism with aviation needing the bulk of it. In the quest of promoting the
tourism sector, we have mainly contributed to the same issue we are complaining about
(Copernicus, 2017).

Factors that led to climatic changes:
Droughts are mainly signs of climatic changes in Australia; this poses serious issues and risks
when it exceeds the expected levels, or when they mainly strike in the areas that are not
utilized for coping with them. The tourism industry in Australia is mainly nature based. With
lack of rains, thunder, storms the water bodies are getting dried up and the vegetation is
withering away, which invariably impacts the national parks, coral reefs that are the main
tourist attractions in Australia. Tourism authorities in Australia have mainly become more
worried because much desperate harder are invading the reefs, beaches, and parks and also
threatens the livestock on which so much of the foreign exchange of the country earnings are
based. The wild animals will mainly die because of the lack of food and water for drinking.
This will invariably affect the arrivals of tourist in the country. Severe floods affect the
infrastructure in the destination of tourism (UNWTO, 2017).
Tourism industry faces massive cost shocks because of the climatic changes as coral
bleaching is enhancing, species are getting threatened, national parks are seeing closed,
wetlands are lost and the insurance will grow, tourism conferences will be held. Climatic
changes are one of the main issues at this week's tourism future conferences that are
examining the future of the countries; targets export industry. The scientist is claiming that
the country is going to experience more severe cyclones; while there will be increased fire
danger in the Blue Mountains. In the Victorian Alps, modelling shows snow cover by 2050
but it is likely to decrease by up to 80 percent from the current level. Less snow means that
there will be less skiing and reef tourism which will also get affected if the coral bleaching
becomes an annual event. There are many studies that show the loss of wetlands from the
rising sea levels, waterborne illness like the dengue fever, park closures because of the fire
risk and the reduced quality of grape. There is the talk of offering migration corridors in some
of the cases that is feasible and in many other cases it is not (Marszalek, 2009).
The following three are the three cases of climatic changes-

Tropical north of Queensland: Tropical north is the hub of the Great Barrier Reef tourism,
comprises of the coral reef complex, mainly threatened the areas of rainforest, beaches in the
danger of inundation and enhanced incidence of the bushfires and the enhanced ultraviolet
radiation. The threats to the regions are mainly exacerbated by the high level of reliance on
the holiday tourism, that could be easily diverted (Skinner & De Dear, 2001).
South West Australia: This is the scene of the countries only recognized biodiversity hotspot,
one of the 35 in the world. It has a high rating of risk of the basis on the greatest diversity of
the vulnerability of the native flora.
The Top End of Northern Territory: The national parks and the wetlands of the country are at
risk and tourism is threatened by the enhanced ultraviolet radiation and the enhanced
exposures towards the diseases (Garnaut Review, 2012).
Australia is mainly being diminished as the international tourist destination because of the
climatic changes happening in the country. Domestically, the loss of income from tourism
from one of the region, like the great barrier reef does not necessarily equate with the
complete losses of the tourism income for the country. Climatic changes are affecting the
health of the people living in Australia over the century in many ways. Some of the impacts
like the heat waves mainly operate directly. Other occurs indirectly because of the
disturbances of the ecological systems like the mosquito population range (Wall, 2004). Most
of the health impacts impinge unevenly across the country, communities and the
demographic subgroups and preventive strategies. The adverse health impact of the changes
on climate is great among people on low-level incomes. People lacking access to goof and
equipped housing are at disadvantage. But the noticeable point is that the rising health issue
in the country is creating news in media and the media is circulating the news around the
world. Such news is creating an environment of tension amongst the people who are visiting
Australia or might be planning to visit Australia in coming time. Tourism rate will drastically
decrease in time if the news of health issues keeps on circulating the same way and if no

measures are taken for mitigating the climatic change’s disaster. Climatic changes create
excessively hot temperatures at times and exposure to prolonged heat promotes the varied
psychological changes which comprise of cramping, heart attack, and strokes. Tourist people
are most likely to be affected with such chronic diseases.
A statement of need
Climatic changes are likely to be in balance, a negative for the tourism and mainly for
tourism in Australia (Lise & Tol, 2002). Some of the attractions which tourists come to visit
will be either destroyed completely or the quality of the experience will be diminished. Main
attractions, like the great reef, is being mainly affected by the climatic changes but apart from
it the created attractions, like the beach resorts, marinas and the major coastal icons like the
Sydney Opera House, can also be affected in coming time because of the storms or floods. As
a consequence, there is likely to be less tourism. In some of the cases, it will mainly be
possible to adopt the changes, preserve the attractions, lessening the damage done by the
changes of climate or for eliminating the damages (Hughes, 2003). Adaptation, however,
mainly costs a lot. Some of the factors that show the need for plans for developing a plan for
managing climatic changes which affect the tourism (Hamilton et al., 2005):
 Loss of the attractions: If climatic conditions keep on affecting the Australian place
then some of the attractions will cease to function as attractions for the tourists.
Tourists in future may be visiting a coastal town for seeing the nearby reef, but
climatic changes may render the reef unattractive and not worth it for visiting.
Similarly, there is operability that some ski fields may be forced to close. There is
going to be cost impact because of the loss of advantages to domestic tourist and
associated negative economic impact to the region. There is a possibility that
international tourist may cease to visit the attractions and the low level of visitation

will mean the loss of tourism expenditure in the region and the whole economy, with
the associated cost of economy.
 Loss of the Quality of Attractions: Many of the attractions may survive but the
quality of the visitor’s experience will decline. This will mainly lead to effects to
those for the complete elimination of attractions. Domestic tourist will mainly loose,
fewer visitors will come and more of the Australian tourist will choose to go out to
other countries
 Cost of the Adaptation Process: For many of the attractions it will be feasible to
preserve the appeal by the adaptation. Thus the ski fields might make their own snow
and resorts will be able to manage the flow of water. However, the adaptation will be
very costly. It is not even feasible for the projects to project the adaptation cost, as the
costing will mainly vary on the basis of cases. So it is quite clear that the adaptation
process is not that technically feasible and even where it is, it may be too much cost to
be worthwhile.
 Cost of the replacement of tourism Capital: In many of the cases, it might be feasible
to retain their attraction by the shift of location. Thus ski files may no longer be viable
but it may be feasible to be open to another beach. If this is to happen, a lot of capital
expenditure will be needed, both for the facilities and the associated infrastructures,
the climatic changes will result in the existing facilities and the infrastructure might
become useless and new facilities may be required at new locations. So even if for the
sake of balance, a region is able to maintain the levels of attractions, there will be a lot
of cost in replacement of the capital investments.
 New and Better Attractions: Climatic changes do not always work in the same kind of
direction- some of the attractions will be improved by the change in the climate and
some of the attractions, that are not viable before, will become viable. The effects of
these will be the reverse of those of the first two points mentioned above.

It is very important to put such changes in perceptive (Hamilton et al., 2005). As a
consequence of the changes in climate, the natural capital of the tourism will be changed and
most likely be decreased or devalued, in Australia and in the world (Galloway, 1988).
However, the tourism and the nature-based tourism will continue. People in Australia will
continue to have the leisure time and income and will be wishing to make the nature-based
trips of leisure as well as the visits towards beaches. The demand for the nature-based tourism
will surely be unaffected and if the supply contracts, the effective pricing will rise (Eliot et
al., 1999). Tourists will have to pay high prices for visiting the attractions of the choices and
perhaps in higher cost of transportation and longer time for traveling. The high amount of
price will lead to a reduction in the tourism (Craig-Smith & Ruhanen, 2005). Thus it is quite
visible that the supply cost aspect of the nature-based tourism could be very negative, thus the
beach destinations like the Hawaii, Bali and the Fiji will be affected by the changes in
climate. Thus the main issue as to how badly the tourism of Australia will be as a result of the
climate change (Viner & Agnew, 1999). There will be a loss on the supply side and this
might be counteracted by the changes on the side of demand. For resolving the issues, it is
important to assess the impact of the climatic changes on attractions of tourism. The climatic
changes directly imposts the Australian tourism and the benefits developed by tourism
through the loss and degradation of attractions, cost of adaptation and capital infrastructure
replacement. As Australian tourism mainly relies on nature-based tourism, it is likely to be
net loose from the changing patterns of the tour because of the results of the changes in
climate (Agnew & Viner, 2001).
The effect on the tourism is very much straightforward, though their measurement does
develop some issues (Amelung & Nicholls, 2014). The prices of the tourism will definitely
rise, as tourism firms pass on the high cost and as the cost of the traveling enhances. Tourism
is mainly footloose industry and so if the cost of a visit to Australia will rise, the tourist will
shift their trips to any other place (Buultjens et al., 2007).

Scope of the Proposed Plan
The development plan for management of climatic changes in the tourism sector will be
effective in structuring provisions for meeting the current and future needs to be determined
for the tourism sector. it will raise continuous tourism standard. The plan will be beneficial
for decreasing the impact of the projected climatic changes on the Australian tourism
industry, temporal shifts in the climatic suitability for the tourism and proactive stances
towards climatic changes. A process needs to be developed for energizing and mediating the
processes, utilizing the interactive learning based methodology process (Turton et al., 2007).
Diagnostic and strategic reflection will be leading to the determination of the range of the
critical issues. Climatic changes have varied impacts, which comprises of sea level rise and
erosion of beaches, high winds, and storms. Not all the climate change impacts have equal
effects on the varied trips of the coastal tourism (nccarf, 2017). Some of the needs that will be
fulfilled through development plan are (CRC, 2012):
 Broad Needs
 Articulation in between the departments of government.
 Harmonization of the training offered by varied operators based on the
multinational action planning.
 Encouraging the water conservation learning through the region.
 Gaining more information regarding the expected climatic changes impacting
the region.
 Breaching the climatic change gaps and the deficiencies of the skills within the
industry.
 Gathering the local data and developing benchmarks.
 Developing collaborative strategy.
 Development of compliance with the approved standards.

 Specific Needs
 Adoption of the sequential structure of conservation.
 Adoption of the levels as minimum standards of preservation.
 Maintenance of the territorial coverage for suiting the needs.
Tourism in Australia is very closely linked to the climate and is very important in the region.
Achievement of the sustainable tourism in the country is inherently tied towards the
sustainability of the local communities: the wine, the vineyards and other aspects of the
cultural life. Without such things, it is getting very difficult to acknowledge what else might
offer for the sustainable tourism in the future. The development plan will be a medium for a
state level approach towards tourism strategic development which is currently to implement
at the local level. The main aim of the management plan for tourism industry will maintain
consistency in the visitors that are related to gathering of the data and reporting. The
development plan will be able to develop the need for accessing to the operator support for
the purpose of rebuilding and better management of the post events. There is current need of
tourism infrastructure management for managing the worst climatic change impacts.
The aim of the development process is to work with the professionals for arriving at the
number of reliable conclusions regarding the situation of climatic disasters in the sector and
then for determining the ways of improving the same. According to the analysis, the tourism
sector lacks well-trained staff members who are unable to manage the consequences of the
climatic changes. More the country will adopt the development process the more it will
contribute to the management of the climate change impacts. With the development,
innovation and new ways of thinking regarding tourism enhancements will come.

Proposed process
The plan for tourism development will be involving some steps which are:
 It is important to research the impact of the adaptive response on the range of the
social, economic and biophysical processes.
 There is a need for developing a research agenda for supporting the evidence-based
decision making for the adaptation. This kind of agenda will be focusing on
articulating and reducing the uncertainties in the projection of the climate at the local
level.
 The further step will be to develop appropriate conflict resolution processes in the
anticipating of the conflicts in between the competing users of the resources of water
in the region.
 The government has to initiate communication programs for tourism business.
Wherever appropriate such forums might service for demonstrating new technologies
for the purpose of adaptation and mitigation. Efforts are required to be directed
towards the groups who may not initially see the obvious interest in the adaptation.
 Upskilling and motivating the existing tourism operators and members: In this step,
there will be an effort for ensuring that the existing team stays with the companies, as
it is one of the best ways for managing the issues occurring in the tourism industry.
Efforts will be made for motivating the tourism member and to follow conservation
techniques for managing the issues from climatic changes
 Development of incentive Scheme: Incentive scheme development will support
innovation and will promote the model tourism business and organization which
wishes to succeed in adapting towards the climatic changes. Such kind of successful
examples can mainly encourage others towards the adaptation and mitigation, as well
as forms part of the platform for influencing the local and national decision-making

 Assessment of the impact of climatic changes on local tourism: This step will begin
with a collection of information on current state of the infrastructure for estimating
the risks of accelerated deterioration and determining adaptation strategies.
 Development of Sector-wide Adaptation plan: This will be based on the participatory
decision-making process and involvement of community and evaluation should
mainly span the planning and implementation of the adaptation. General evaluative
criteria's might include the equitable distribution of costs and the benefits of the
existing government policies, extent and quality of consultation.
 Making Climatic Change Information Available: Through this visitor will be able to
review climatic change information in advance as a means of raising awareness and
promoting sustainable behaviours.
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