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Climate change is a phenomenon in which weather conditions become drastic. It implies higher global temperature, unpredicted rain, floods, and draughts. Climate change has been dangerously worsening globally, affecting the lives of thousands of people and communities. 
In general, people perceive climate change as just a problem of the future. Largely, they don’t think it is something that can affect individual lives. However, that’s not true, many people, especially in the African subcontinent have been displaced solely because of climate change.
So, now one can imagine how climate change is affecting lives globally. Now, speaking of different sectors and businesses, climate change does impact different industries; and not only the energy industry. Climate change has a significant impact on the tourism industry as well.
How does climate change impact tourism?
The tourism industry runs on two significant factors: tourists and destinations. Every tourist destination has its own distinctive beauty. Different places around the world provide different activities for tourists. However, each activity needs a particular weather. Rising unpredictability of weather and deteriorating natural resources have become a significant cause of concern for international tourism.
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The following are a few examples of how climate change is a poison for international tourism industry:

  • Diminishing prospects for scuba diving because of coral bleaching: Scuba diving is a significant aspect of international tourism. Travelers around the world visit places like Australia, Philippines, and Maldives, especially for scuba diving. However due to rise in temperature and increase in the amount of CO2 under water, corals are dying. This is known as coral bleaching. If corals keep diminishing, demand for scuba diving will drastically fall.  
  • Increase in coastal flooding: Because of rising temperature globally, glaciers melt, and because of which sea level rises. Countries that are based on islands, their main source of tourism depends on the beauty that their beaches provide. However, with increase in sea level, the risk for storms surges. This is becoming a seriouscause of concern for countries like Maldives.  
  • Extended summers and reduction of snow cover: There are several activities like skiing for which people travel to colder places around the world. However, because of rising global temperature and la Nina effect, summers are getting extended and snow covers are getting reduced. With such circumstances, people would not want to travel as prospects of fulfilling skiing and other experiences would be lesser.  
  • Heat waves and warmer summers: People like sunbathing in summers. They travel to beautiful places across the globe to relish the beauty of a sunny day. However, because of extreme heat waves and warmer summers, the concept of sunbathing is slowly and steadily diminishing.

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There are several other effects of climate change on tourism like spread of diseases, etc. Thus, it is high time for the international tourism industry to look at the factors of how climate change that are leading to deteriorating prospects of healthy tourism. Otherwise, the businesses would soon have to bear the cost of the falling climate. 
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