Global warming extends tourism season

Due to climate change and global warming, this summer has seen temperatures above seasonal norms. While this situation affected nature and daily life in many ways, it also affected the tourism sector.

According to data from the General Directorate of Meteorology (MGM), the average July temperature in Turkey in 2024 was recorded as the hottest July in the last 53 years. While experts emphasize the shift of seasons and drought, the tourism sector has also been affected by these temperature changes.

Prof. Dr. Orhan İçöz, Deputy Head of the Department of Tourism Guidance at Yaşar University School of Applied Sciences, said that as a result of global warming, the summer tourism season may be extended in our country, but this creates disadvantages such as excessive consumption of resources such as water and negative effects on winter tourism.

According to a study conducted by the European Union, if global warming continues at this rate, the current situation in tourism may change and cooler European regions such as Scandinavia may be advantageous in the future and attract vacationers looking for cooler weather.

LONGER SUMMER SEASON AFFECTS WINTER TOURISM

Speaking about the impact of climate change on the tourism sector, Prof. Dr. İçöz said: “Since tourism is a sector closely related to seasonal movements, it is expected to be inevitably affected by temperature changes.

On the one hand, global warming increases the duration of hot weather and the level of air temperatures, causing an increase in hot days throughout the year, on the other hand, decreasing precipitation causes thirst problems and negatively affects winter tourism due to shortened snowy days.

Our country is also highly affected by global warming as it is located in a climate zone with low rainfall. In the last year, the driest period of recent years has been experienced, accordingly, very little precipitation has been seen and winter tourism destinations have almost reached a situation to produce artificial snow.”

HOW WILL THE EXTENDED SEASON AFFECT THE VISITOR PROFILE?

Prof. Dr. İçöz stated that although there is an optimistic approach that prolonged hot days can extend the tourism season in Turkey, this situation does not seem possible according to the current markets and visitor profile: “The summer and sea tourism market generally consists of young and middle-aged people who are engaged in activities such as student or working life. This segment does not have the opportunity to travel much outside the June-September period. For this reason, the tourists who will come to the country outside the summer period, which is called the high season, are generally the 3rd age group, whose working life is over and who have the opportunity to travel all year round.

This age group prefers to participate in activities such as culture, health and hiking rather than priorities such as warm weather and sea. Therefore, the tourism opportunities of our country are already suitable for hosting such tourists. The target of the extended tourism season should be people who can travel in all seasons of the year with a focus on culture rather than summer tourists.”

“Bodrum and MARMARIS EMPLOYMENT RATES 98 PERCENT

Explaining that the tourism season is quite long in the western and southern regions of our country, Prof. Dr. İçöz said in the news report in Cumhuriyet, “For example, Antalya is open to tourism all year round, and Marmaris, another popular destination, has a long season from April to October and Bodrum has a long season from May to October. The occupancy rates in accommodation facilities in these regions reach 98 percent during the peak season this year and 70 percent in other periods.”

“COOLER REGIONS MAY ATTRACT INTEREST

Prof. Dr. İçöz said that climate change may direct tourists to regions with cooler climates and added: “Climate change and global warming is an important agenda of the World Tourism Organization and the European Union. In a study conducted by the European Union on the subject, it is stated that if global warming continues at this scale, the current situation in tourism may change and cooler European regions such as Scandinavia may benefit from climate change in the future and attract vacationers looking for cooler weather to their countries.

In the same study, it is also noted that there may be a change in the main holiday season, but this will take place in the long term, emphasizing that just as travel flows change slowly, so do holiday corridors. There are also predictions that the phenomenon of over-tourism in popular destinations may trigger this to some extent.”

“THE TARGET SHOULD BE FEW AND QUALIFIED TOURISTS

Drawing attention to the energy loss effect of global warming and intensive tourist visits, Prof. Dr. İçöz said, “Our country is facing a serious problem of energy loss and water shortage due to excessive water consumption in tourism regions on the one hand and continuously operating cooling (air conditioning) systems on the other due to increasing hot days and decreasing precipitation.

In some destinations, the quality of life of the local people is seriously damaged due to the high consumption of tourists and therefore there is a reaction to tourism. Therefore, elite tourism, sustainable tourism and eco-tourism should be more on our agenda rather than more tourists for our country. Instead of more tourists, less but more qualified tourism should be the main goal of the country.”
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