Ask Skift: How Is Climate Change Impacting Travel?

03.05.2024 - 14:47 / skift.com / Rashaad Jorden / Ask Skift

Soaring temperatures are poised to make traveling around the world more challenging. But is climate change already impacting travel? And how is the industry responding?

We put the question to Ask Skift, our artificial intelligence chatbot. Ask Skift used information appearing in our past news coverage and we did additional reporting.

Climate change is having a substantial impact on the travel industry. Here are some key points:

Traveler Perceptions: A significant portion of travelers believe that the damage from climate change has already occurred. According to an article from Skift published in April 2024, 33% of travelers thought that their individual travel choices wouldn’t substantially affect climate change. In the same survey, 44% of respondents believed that governments would make the most difference in combating climate change, while 43% thought it would be travel companies.

Influence on Travel Preferences: Climate change is also influencing travel preferences, with an increasing focus on sustainability. For instance, a report highlighted that 97% of Indian travelers expressed their intention to travel more sustainably in the future.

Changing Travel Patterns: Extreme weather events, which are becoming more common due to climate change, are altering travel patterns. Some travelers are now considering extreme weather events when planning trips.

Impact on Travel Businesses: Climate change is directly impacting travel businesses as they have to manage emergency incidents caused by climate-related events like fires or floods. Moreover, there is an increasing demand from customers for more sustainable travel choices.

Therefore, while climate change presents significant challenges to the travel industry, it also offers opportunities for businesses to innovate and provide more sustainable options for travelers.

Go deeper into the business of travel with Skift’s new AI chatbot.

Which countries will have fewer “outdoor days”? Climate change could impact the number of days travelers are able to spend outdoors around the world. A 2024 Massachusetts Institute of Technology study found that by the end of the century, destinations such as the Dominican Republic, Mexico and India are expected to experience a sharp reduction in “outdoor days” — defined as 24-hour windows in which temperatures are pleasant enough for most people to enjoy outdoor activities.

The Dominican Republic is projected to have 124 fewer outdoor days, the biggest drop of all the destinations researched.

“Last-chance tourism”: The ongoing crisis is driving more travelers to visit certain destinations before they disappear, a trend that’s become known as “last-chance tourism.” The New York Times reported in March 2024 that some natural