Tributes to how climate change is affecting holidays and tourism are mounting in the international press Greece will be the star. In June, 6 tourists died of heat-related causes, which led to the spread of negative news about what to do.extreme heat kills tourists in Greece”.
Heat-related deaths are more common climate change, comments on an Inside Climate News article on events in Greece. A Pulitzer Prize-winning news organization that specializes in climate change issues is doing extensive reporting on the effects of heat on the health of tourists.
However, unlike risk reports that urge tourists to simply avoid hot spots, his advice is to… adapt and take appropriate action.
The publication notes that experts admit that really high temperatures can pose a special danger for tourists. Especially when they are “mentally and physically unprepared for the heat they may encounter in a new place.”
The heat caused “tourist accidents”.
Cases of so-called “tourist accidents” related to climate change and heat are increasing in different parts of the world. Often the victims are travelers visiting remote landscapes of special natural beauty, but also high-risk (if not properly prepared) travelers. A typical case is our Samaria gorge in Crete, where a Danish tourist lost his life last year.
Similar events have occurred in protected natural parks – arid landscapes from southwest Texas to Australia. Now health officials in many countries advise tourists to change their behavior to “beat” the heat.
The tourism market is already adapting to new information brought about by climate change. This is his now well-known phenomenon cooling. More and more travelers are opting for “cool vacations” instead of escapes to once temperate and now subtropical or tropical zones. If the colocation phenomenon spreads, entire regions, even countries whose economies are based on tourism, can be hit hard.
“Acclimatization”: The body’s natural shield
Everyone’s heat tolerance level is different. It is associated with factors such as gender, age, and whether or not you have a medical condition such as diabetes or heart disease.
Another factor is what temperatures each organism is used to depending on where it lives. When someone is systematically exposed to high temperature or humidity, their body adapts accordingly, a process called acclimatization.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, acclimatization involves small changes in bodily functions: Sweat levels change, blood circulation stabilizes as the body’s natural “air conditioner,” and skin perfusion increases.
Experts say nothing different from common sense: a tourist from Israel or Lebanon will feel almost at home in Greece. Conversely, a Scandinavian or even an Englishman would be less tolerant of the Greek heat – let alone the heat of Athens.
“It takes at least two weeks to get used to heat stress. This means that a tourist who lives in a colder climate and travels to a warmer climate for a week’s vacation or to an area experiencing a heat wave will not have time to acclimatize during their stay in the hot region,” he told Inside Climate. Alicia Hass, a geographer studying climate impacts at Middle Tennessee State University;
Aggravating factors
Accordingly, health problems such as obesity or diabetes can reduce a person’s ability to adapt to the climate, EKPA professor Christos Giannaros, who studies the effects of climate change, told The Associated Press. This was noted, among others, by the 2023 survey, which analyzed the increased danger for travelers in hot climate destinations. According to the professor, lack of adaptation to the heat may have played a role in the death of tourists in Greece.
Aggravating factors can be a number of habits associated with holidays: Alcohol consumption, lack of sleep, insufficient hydration (how many times do we forget to drink water?)
The heat is even more lethal when combined with strenuous outdoor activities common on vacations, such as hiking. Last year, at least seven visitors to national parks in the U.S. died from heat-related illnesses between June and the end of July — a trend that will only get worse as climate change accelerates.
After last year’s heatwaves in Europe, a survey by the European Travel Commission noted a 7% increase in European tourists’ concerns about climate change. Experts say that this concern is one of the reasons why tourists have changed their habits and destinations in recent years. It’s no coincidence that chilling has been named “one of the biggest travel trends of 2024” according to Conde Naste Traveler.
Relax and… enjoy the holidays even in the heat
Some experts are not convinced that the cooling will continue. In addition, they admit that it will disrupt the entire tourism economy. That’s why they’re urging countries with hot tourism destinations to help visitors prepare for the heat. One way is to move popular events to less warm months.
Andreas Matzarakis, professor of environmental meteorology at the University of Freiburg in Germany, investigates the interaction of climate change with tourism, among other things. As he told Inside Climate, industries that focus on tourism, such as hotels or resorts, need to raise awareness and educate the public about the dangers of heat and precautions. Mr. Matzarakis said that even a brochure at breakfast time would be enough.
But the tourists themselves should be prepared. For example, knowing what they will encounter on vacation, staying in air-conditioned indoor spaces during peak hours, hydrating often, etc.
The expert’s advice is to go on a vacation that isn’t too hot, don’t stress and enjoy it, just remember that there are some things to avoid. Staying in the midday sun at 40 and 45 degrees is one of them. But is it always possible?