Climate, Weather, and Tourism Initiative

Tourism destinations and their individual tourism businesses are all vying for the expenditures and vitality that tourists bring to their respective locations. But, in making travel choices, these vacationers have considerations besides distance, cost, and timing. They are also considering the daily or weekly weather and other climate factors when determining both where to go and the extent to which they enjoyed their travel experience. The World Tourism Organization, in meetings addressing weather, climate, and tourism, noted that weather and climate are perhaps the most important influence on the choice of leisure travel destinations. Wind, humidity, temperature, drought, storm conditions, snow conditions, water temperature, and degree of sunshine are a few of the factors that affect the visitors’ decisions, satisfaction, and spending—that important economic "bottom line" for tourism businesses and tourism destinations.

In addition to the workshop and publications listed below, the Center’S activities in this initiative include a presentation at the National Weather Service and RENCI Summit on Decision Support Services and Technology and a joint research effort on recreational businesses and weather with faculty from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

Publications

Bulletin of the American Meteorological Association (BAMS) - May 2008

Colorado University-Boulder Climate and Tourism Symposium - Western U.S.

Bulletin of the American Meteorological Association (BAMS) - March 2011

East Carolina University Climate and Tourism Symposium - Eastern U.S.

The North Carolina Geographer Vol. 17, 2009-2010

Tourists' Climate Perceptions: A survey of preferences and sensitivities in North Carolina's Outer Banks

(Covington, Arrigo, Long, and Alderman)

Climate, Weather and Tourism: Bridging Science and Practice

(Curtis, Arrigo, Long, and Covington)

We wish to thank our collaborators, the National Climatic Data Center, North Carolina Sea Grant, and ECU's Institute for Coastal Science and Policy, as well as sponsor Great Wolf Resorts.

Conference Presentations

Attitudes of Residents and Second Home Property Owners to Climate Change Considerations and Their Affects on Future Property Values in Coastal Counties

(Long, Hao, Curtis)

National Weather Service Support Services and Technology for Tourism

(Long, Curtis, Arrigo)

Affects of Weather and Climate on Tourism Business Decision-Making: The Case of Beaufort, North Carolina(Long, Curtis, Blair)

Workshop Presentations

Climate, Weather and Tourism Workshop: Issues and Opportunities

November 14-15, 2008

Summary Report | PowerPoint Presentations | Videos

In partnership with the North Carolina Sea Grant, the National Climatic Data Center, and the East Carolina University Institute for Coastal Science and Policy, the Center sponsored a Southeast US Regional Workshop on Climate, Weather, and Tourism, which attracted approximately 100 scientists, academics, public policy officials, nonprofit leaders, and business owners to discuss how to bridge science and practice, thereby improving business practices and economic vitality. The workshop focused on developing a strategy for raising awareness of issues linking tourism, weather, and climate; on developing a framework for collaborative research on climatic risks, opportunities, and information needs for reducing impacts on our state's tourism industry; and on identifying sources of data and potential partnerships to investigate interactions of tourism, weather, and climate in order to provide usable information for planning and management.