Comparison of the holiday climate index (HCI) and the tourism climate index (TCI) in desert regions and Makran coasts of Iran

Abstract

In order to develop tourism industry in a region, studying its climate through the year is necessary. The climate of the destination is of great importance for tourists. Therefore, the application of climate indices can help the tourism planning in the area and optimum spent of time. In this study, climatic conditions of a vast area in Iran including the middle, east, and southeast deserts have been evaluated and compared by using synoptic climatic indices for a period of 30 years and tourism climate index (TCI) together with holiday climate index (HCI) in different months. The results showed that both models, in autumn and winter, are the same regarding the area. In these seasons, mountainous area had the lowest records while low-altitude area like Caspian Sea beaches had the highest records. In springtime and summer, because of high temperatures, HCI scores in deserts were higher compared with TCI, but both indices illustrate similar records for Makran coasts. The comparison between the two indices showed that TCI demonstrates a wide range from unfavorable to favorable conditions through the year, while HCI shows less fluctuation. It could be concluded that TCI has a better function than HCI in the studied area. It was also showed that in addition to daytime hours, the maximum temperature and the relative humidity have the most effects on regional tourism attraction. Regarding the two indices, it was found that October, September, and April are the best months for tourism planning because of their pleasant weather.