Double Impact: A Macroeconomic Study of the Crossed Influences Between Climate Change and Business Tourism

Abstract

Abstract International tourism is a main sector of economy that witnesses continuous and tremendous growth in developed and developing countries and expresses destabilization by several factors including climate change. Being considered as a sensitive sector to climate, tourism shows, through several criteria such as number of arrivals and receipts, an influence by environmental and socioeconomic modifications. This article will outline the interrelationships between climate change phenomenon and the business component of the international tourism. Three focal elements that were developed through literature on the effects of climate change for tourism will be critically reviewed: climate change and temporal shifts in tourism demand, climate-inducted change and destination competitiveness within the major market segment of business tourism, and future tourist mobility. The review will develop the differential weakness of tourism destinations and the consequence in competitiveness that will transform some international markets. This will be relevant to explain why destinations will need to adapt to the risks and opportunities posed by climate change. Despite several elements illustrating progress in the past years, an important gap of knowledge in each of the major impact areas needs to be looked into in order to indicate to the concerned tourist the necessity for a well preparation toward challenges of climate change.