Climate Change to Take Toll on Greek Tourism, Study Finds

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Greek tourism will have to implement strategies to deal with the negative effects of climate change, according to a study presented by the Bank of Greece on Thursday, 6 November.

Titled “Greek tourism and climate change: adaptation policies and strategic development”, the online report focuses on the economic consequences of climate change on Greek tourism and on the need to implement specific preventative policies to adapt to the changing reality.

Indicatively, according to the findings, the frequency of stifling weather conditions aggravated by high temperatures is likely to increase by 20% during the peak tourist months of July, August and September. Coastal areas, particularly the islands, the study found, are particularly at risk due to rising sea levels.

Drawn up by a group of field experts, the report stresses the need to adapt to the changing conditions and proposes the development of alternative forms of tourism, the revising the tourist season, enhancing the tourist product, improving services offered and focusing on intensive rather than short-term development in efforts to tackle the problem of seasonality.

In this direction, it proposes the following key preventative measures: strengthening entrepreneurship, developing and improving infrastructure, gaining more knowhow and skills, doing away with seasonality, providing all areas of the country with development opportunities based on particular characteristics and capabilities, and finally, organizing structured activities depending on destination-specific potential.

To read the study (in Greek), press here.