Abstract
This work grew from initiatives of the International Society of Biometeorology's Commission on Climate, Tourism and Recreation (ISBCCTR). The ISBCCTR was formed during the 15th Congress of the ISB held in November 1999 in Sydney, Australia. The aim of ISBCCTR is to promote research in tourism climatology. The first formal meeting of the Commission took place at the Meliton Resort, Halkidiki, Greece, 5–10 October 2001. The aims were to (1) bring together a selection of scientists and tourism experts to review the current state of knowledge of tourism climatology and (2) explore areas and priorities for future work and the role of the Commission in this. The Workshop highlighted the fact that, although climate is widely recognised as vitally important to tourism, relatively little is known about its effects. Even less is known about the economic impact or significance of climate on commercial prospects for tourism. Important research themes that warrant attention were identified. Among these was the need for a tourism climate index (or indices) that integrates all facets of climate, uses standard data and is objectively tested and verified. Work is also required on developing a better understanding of what climate-related information is required by both tourists and the tourism industry, exploring the distinction between the impact of climate on tourists and the impact on the tourism industry, setting a standard approach to tourism climate assessment, assessing the role of weather forecasts and long-term expectations of climate on choices made by tourists, the risks to tourism caused by extreme atmospheric events, what climate-related criteria people use to make decisions about tourism and recreational choices, how products giving information about weather and climate are currently used by the recreation and tourism industry and what are the existing and future requirements for this climate information.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adams DL (1973) Uncertainty in nature – weather forecasts and New England beach trip decision. Econ Geogr 49:287–297
Agnew MD, Palutikof JP (2000) Impacts of climate on the demand for tourism. In: Falchi MA, Zorini AO (eds) ECAC 2000. Tools for the environment and Man of the Year 2000. Proceedings of the Third European Conference on Applied Climatology, Pisa, Italy, October 2000. Institute of Agrometeorology and Environmental Analysis, Florence, Italy. OS 1, 12
Anderssen P, Colberg R (1973) Multivariate analysis in travel research: a tool for travel package design and market segmentation. Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Travel Conference of the Travel Research Association. Travel Research Association, Sydney, pp 225–240
Auliciems A, Kalma JD (1979) A climatic classification of human thermal stress in Australia. J Appl Meteorol 18:616–626
Auliciems A, Freitas CR de, Hare FK (1973) Winter clothing requirements for Canada. Atmospheric Environment Service, Canada, Department of the Environment, Toronto, Climatological Studies, no 22
Bauer DJ (1976) The climate of Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan. Project Report no 28. Meteorological Applications Branch, Atmospheric Environment Service, Canada, Department of the Environment, Toronto
Becker S (1998) Beach comfort index: a new approach to evaluate the thermal conditions of beach holiday resort using a South Africa example. Geojournal 44:297–307
Boniface BG, Cooper C (1994) The geography of travel and tourism. Butterworth-Heineman, London
Crowe RB (1976) A climatic classification of the Northwest Territories for recreation and tourism. Project Report no 25. Meteorological Applications Branch, Atmospheric Environment Service, Canada, Department of the Environment, Toronto
Crowe RB, McKay GA, Baker WM (1973) The tourist and outdoor recreation climate of Ontario. Volume I. Objectives and definitions of seasons. Publications in Applied Meteorology, REC-1-73. Meteorological Applications Branch, Atmospheric Environment Service, Canada, Department of the Environment, Toronto
Crowe RB, McKay GA, Baker WM (1977a) The tourist and outdoor recreation climate of Ontario. Volume II. The summer season. Publications in Applied Meteorology, REC-1-73. Meteorological Applications Branch, Atmospheric Environment Service and Department of Fisheries and Environment Canada, Toronto
Crowe RB, McKay GA, Baker WM (1977b) The tourist and outdoor recreation climate of Ontario. Volume III. The winter season. Publications in Applied Meteorology, REC-1-73. Meteorological Applications Branch, Atmospheric Environment Service and Department of Fisheries and Environment Canada, Toronto
Danilova NA (1974) A recreational evaluation of the climate of the Black Sea Coast. Meteorological Translations, no 25. Atmospheric Environment Service, Canada, Department of the Environment, Toronto, pp 17–31
Davis NE (1968) An optimum weather index. Weather 23:305–317
Fergusson P (1964) Summer weather at the English seaside. Weather 19:144–146
Findlay B (1973) Climatography of Pukaskwa National Park, Ontario. Project Report REC-2-73. Meteorological Applications Branch, Atmospheric Environment Service, Canada, Department of the Environment, Toronto
Freitas CR de (1979) Human climates of northern China. Atmos Environ 13:71–77
Freitas CR de (1985) Assessment of human bioclimate based on thermal response. Int J Biometeorol 29:97–119
Freitas CR de (1987) Bioclimates of heat and cold stress in New Zealand. Weather Clim 7:55–60
Freitas CR de (1990) Recreation climate assessment. Int J Climatol 10:89–103
Freitas CR de, Symon LV (1987) A bioclimatic index of human survival times in the Antarctic. Polar Record 23:651–659
Freitas CR de, Dawson NJ, Young AA, Mackey WJ (1985) Microclimate and heat stress of runners in mass participation events. J Clim Appl Meteorol 24:184–191
Gates AD (1975a) The tourism and outdoor recreation climate of the Maritime Provinces. Publications in Applied Meteorology, REC-3-73, Meteorological Applications Branch, Atmospheric Environment Service, Canada, Deparment of the Environment, Toronto
Gates AD (1975b) The tourism and outdoor recreation climate of the Prairie Provinces. Atmospheric Environment Service, Toronto
Green JSA (1967) Holiday meteorology: reflections on weather and outdoor comfort. Weather 22:128–253
Hale M, Altalo M (2002) Current and potential uses of weather, climate and ocean information in business decision-making in the recreation and tourism industry. Science Applications International Corp, McLean, Virginia
Harlfinger O (1991) Holiday bioclimatology. A study of Palma de Majorca, Spain. Geojournal 25:377–381
Hibbs JR (1966) Evaluation of weather and climate by socio-economic sensitivity indices. In: Sewell WRD (ed) Human dimensions of weather modification. Research paper no 105. University of Chicago, Department of Geography, Chicago, pp 91–110
Hughes GH (1967) Summers in Manchester. Weather 22:199–200
Hunt JD (1975) Image as a factor in tourist development. J Trav Res 13:1–7
Masterton JM, Crowe RB Baker WM (1976) The Tourism and outdoor recreation climate of the Prairie Provinces. Publications in Applied Meteorology, REC-1-75. Meteorological Applications Branch, Atmospheric Environment Service, Canada, Department of the Environment, Toronto
Masterton JM, McNichol DW (1981) A recreation climatology of the national capital region. Climatological studies no 34. Atmospheric Environment Service, Canada, Department of the Environment
Maunder WJ (1972) The formulation of weather indices for use in climatic-economic studies: a New Zealand example. N Z Geogr 28:130–150
Mieczkowski Z (1985) The tourism climatic index: a method of evaluating world climates for tourism. Canadian Geogr 29:220–233
Murray R (1972) A simple summer index with an illustration for summer 1971. Weather 27:161–169
Palutikof JP (ed) (1999) Weather impacts on natural social and economic systems (WISE). Final report of work undertaken for the European Commission Directorate-General Research under contract ENV4-CT97-0448, 1 November 1997–31 October 1999
Palutikof JP, Agnew MD, Subak S (2000) Impacts of weather and climate on Social and economic systems. In: Falchi MA, Zorini AO (eds) ECAC 2000 – Tools for the environment and Man of the Year 2000. Proceedings of the Third European Conference on Applied Climatology, Pisa, Italy, October 2000. Institute of Agrometeorology and Environmental Analysis, Florence, Italy. OS 1, 12
Paul AH (1972) Weather and the daily use of outdoor recreation areas in Canada. In: Taylor JA (ed) Weather forecasting for agriculture and industry. David and Charles, pp 132–146
Perry AH (1972) Weather, climate and tourism. Weather 27:199–203
Perry AH (1993) Climate and weather information for the package holiday-maker. Weather 48:410–414
Perry AH (1997) Recreation and tourism. In: Thompson RD, Perry A (eds) Applied climatology: principles and practice. Routledge, London, pp 240–248
Poulter RM (1962) The next few summers in London. Weather 17:253–257
Rackcliffe PG (1965) Summer and winter indices at Armagh. Weather 20:38–44
Reifsnyder WE (1983) A climatic analysis for backcountry recreation. In: Overdieck D, Muller J, Schnitzler H, Lieth H (eds) Biometeorology, vol 8. Swets and Zeitlinger, Lisse, pp 87–99
Rense WC (1974) Weather as an influencing factor in the use of Oregon's coastal recreation areas. PhD Thesis, Department of Geography, Oregon State University
Ross G F (1992) Climate as component of tourist destination image. Paper presented at the Australia New Zealand Climate Forum Meeting. James Cook University of North Queensland, Cairns
Smith CG (1985) Holiday weather: Southeast Asia. Weather 40:21–23
Terjung WH (1968) Some thoughts in recreation geography in Alaska from a physio-climatic viewpoint. Calif Geogr 9:27–39
Yapp GA, McDonald NS (1978) A recreation climate model. J Environ Manage 7:235–252
Acknowledgements
The author is grateful to the International Society of Biometeorology for funding in support of the ISB Commission on Climate, Tourism and Recreation.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
de Freitas, C.R. Tourism climatology: evaluating environmental information for decision making and business planning in the recreation and tourism sector. Int J Biometeorol 48, 45–54 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-003-0177-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-003-0177-z