Abstract
Weather and climate have a double-edged effect on tourism. It can be considered both as a limiting and a developing factor for tourism. In this regard, having access to precise bio-climatic information can be of high use to enhance the quality of tourism services. This study has evaluated the Bio-climatic conditions of the tourists in Mashhad, a North-Eastern city in Iran, through the use of thermo-physiological indicator of physiological equivalent temperature (PET). Studies have been done for the hours of 9:30, 12:30 and 21:30 of the local time using the statistical data of the period between 1978 and 2007. According to the results, the longest period of climatic-comfort-hours is around 21:30 (mainly in June, July, and August), and the shortest duration of climatic-comfort-hours is around 9:30 (sporadically assessed in April, May and October). The Bio-climatic conditions during the Nowruz Holidays are only comfortable in the evenings. Especially, there is the challenge of cold stress in the mornings and more specifically, at nights. However, the best condition of the whole assessed times in summer holidays (that is June 22nd to September 23rd) is at 21:30. Summer days are not ideal for tourism due to the heat stress. The daily change of PET index shows a Gaussian curve, the peak of which (indicative of too much heat stress) shows July, and non-stress condition can be seen on both sides of this curve.
Highlights
Over the past six decades, tourism has experienced continued expansion and diversification
In spite of many shocks, long-term trends are impressive: tourism rose from 25 million International Tourist Arrivals (ITA) in 1950 to a record 980 million ITA in 2011 [1]
The overall export income generated by inbound tourism, including passenger transport, exceeded US$ 1.2 trillion in 2011, or US$ 3.4 billion a day on average
Summary
Over the past six decades, tourism has experienced continued expansion and diversification. It has become one of the largest and fastest growing economic sectors in the world. In spite of many shocks, long-term trends are impressive: tourism rose from 25 million International Tourist Arrivals (ITA) in 1950 to a record 980 million ITA in 2011 [1]. The overall export income generated by inbound tourism, including passenger transport, exceeded US$ 1.2 trillion in 2011, or US$ 3.4 billion a day on average. Tourism exports account to as much as 30% of the world’s exports of commercial services and 6% of overall exports of goods and services. As an export category, tourism ranks the fourth after fuels, chemicals and food
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