New progress of climate change and tourism development research in overseas

Abstract

Climate change is one of the most significant,controversial global issues facing both research and policy.It results in a range of climatic and environmental challenges,which have major impacts on societies and economic sectors around the world.Due to the highly climate sensitive nature of tourism,it has been already and will be affected by climate change.Climate change has emerged as a major topic in tourism studies.Climate change and tourism literature emerged in 1970s′,mainly focused on the impacts of climate change on tourism,and tourism responses to climate change.Climate change impacts on tourism include direct climatic impacts,indirect climatic and environmental impacts,changes in tourist flow and mobility,and broad societal impacts.Tourism is both a contributor to and a victim of climate change.Its responses to climate change,therefore includes both mitigation and adaptation.This paper provides a comprehensive and critical review of existing body of knowledge in tourism and climate change from an international perspective,before identifying research gaps and proposing new directions for further research from a Chinese perspective.It concludes that although the tourism and climate change literature has experienced rapid growth in the last ten years,the area still remains restricted in scope and depth,especially in adaptation studies.Therefore the authors propose that Chinese researchers may contribute to building the tourism and climate change research by focusing on tourism specific theoretical frameworks,exploring the potential opportunities that climate change may bring for tourism development,and designing mitigation and adaptation strategies to proactive respond to the challenges rising from climate change.