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Spatial Planning for Tourism Destinations Resilient to Climate Change

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  • Marilena Papageorgiou

    (School of Spatial Planning and Development, Faculty of Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece)

Abstract

Tourism and climate change have a two-way relation. Spatial planning can challenge this correlation, by making tourism destinations more resilient to climate change and tourism contributing less to the climate change acceleration. Based on literature review and theoretical research, this paper unravels the spatial structure of tourism destinations and presents systematically the way tourism affects—and is affected by—climate change. The objective of this paper is to articulate policy and planning recommendations and guidelines to address resilience against climate change at all destination scales. The paper identifies as most threatened the destinations facing extreme weather events, temperature fluctuations, and sea level rise (and more precisely the coastal and mountainous destinations), followed by areas facing water shortage and droughts, areas with fragile tourism resources (natural and cultural), and those experiencing overtourism. In regard to spatial planning for tourism (cross-cutting or sectoral), the paper argues that it has a proactive nature (making tourism destinations less vulnerable to climate change) but also can contribute to the earlier recovery of them after a disaster/damage has occurred. Spatial planning is also important for moderating the uncontrolled tourism growth responsible for climate change acceleration. A key conclusion is that a risk assessment and analysis should be an integral part of spatial tourism planning, focusing on the hazards and threats related to climate change.

Suggested Citation

  • Marilena Papageorgiou, 2025. "Spatial Planning for Tourism Destinations Resilient to Climate Change," Tourism and Hospitality, MDPI, vol. 6(1), pages 1-17, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jtourh:v:6:y:2025:i:1:p:8-:d:1563875
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Ana Beatriz Hernandez & Gerard Ryan, 2011. "Coping with climate change in the tourism industry: a review and agenda for future research," Tourism and Hospitality Management, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management, vol. 17(1), pages 79-90, May.
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    5. Dong, Bing & Liu, Yapan & Fontenot, Hannah & Ouf, Mohamed & Osman, Mohamed & Chong, Adrian & Qin, Shuxu & Salim, Flora & Xue, Hao & Yan, Da & Jin, Yuan & Han, Mengjie & Zhang, Xingxing & Azar, Elie & , 2021. "Occupant behavior modeling methods for resilient building design, operation and policy at urban scale: A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 293(C).
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