The Impacts of Climate Change on Coastal Georgia Heritage Tourism Sites

Abstract

Climate change is a global issue that will impact the preservation of historic heritage sites. However, much of the research on the impacts of climate change on historic heritage sites has focused on Europe and in the United States, studies have largely centered on National Park Service (NPS) sites. In the state of Georgia, a number of heritage tourism destinations central to the state's vibrant tourism economy occur in its coastal zone, a zone navigating the impacts of sea-level rise, flooding, coastal erosion, and hurricanes. Given the limited understanding of the impacts on heritage tourism sites specifically within the state of Georgia—which has yet to develop a statewide adaptation plan—this study seeks to understand the impacts of climate change on heritage tourism sites from the perspective of site managers and staff. This study takes a multi-methodological approach utilizing surveys and archival research to understand site-specific impacts, management protocols, and management and staff views on climate change. The study focused on six sites in Georgia falling under different ownership structures and found that managers and staff at all sites reported damage from hurricanes and flooding and were concerned about the impacts of climate change and the long-term survival of their site.