CLITOP
CLITOP (Climate Change and Tourism
in Portugal: Potential Impacts and Adaptation Measures) is a two-year research
project funded by the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT) and administered by the Foundation of
the Faculty of Science of the University of Lisbon (FFCUL).
While there has been significant
progress in the study of climate change impacts in various sectors and at
various geographical regions, studies addressing climate and/or climate change
impacts on tourism, the world’s largest industry, are surprisingly very few.
Since tourism is not only affected by climate change, but also contributes to it
due to associated high energy demands, climate change impacts on tourism needs
to be better assessed so that we recognize what is likely to happen and to
formulate appropriate plans to minimize potential negative effects and on the
other hand maximize on positive effects.
Keeping in mind the significant
contribution tourism has towards Portugal’s national employment and GDP,
impacts on this sector can have very important implications on the country’s
economy and above all on the quality of life of local residents. Moreover, as
tourism in Portugal is currently primarily summer and leisure-based, it is very
likely to be sensitive to climate changes and especially to thermal weather
extremes.
In this study we will investigate how
climatic changes in Portugal may influence outdoor air and water thermal comfort
and it’s implication to tourism demand and population (and tourist) health in
four popular tourist coastal destinations. Potential changes in energy demands
that are required to maintain comfortable indoor thermal levels in tourist
related facilities and equipments, such as hotels, swimming pools, and tour
buses, in these destinations will also be assessed. Climate data used in the
impact studies will be based on observed data and future climate change
scenarios.
The study will also identify and
discuss adaptation measures to reduce vulnerability to resulting climate change
impacts. Collaboration with national and international experts is planned along
the study. The results of the study will be communicated to government, the
tourism industry, and other interested stakeholders.
Contact Information
- Telephone
- + 351 217 500 387
- Fax
- + 351 217 500 386
-
- Postal address
- SIM-IDL, Faculdade de Ciências da Univ.
de Lisboa,
- Ed. C1, Sala 1.4.39
- Campo Grande, 1749-016
- Lisboa, Portugal
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- E-mail
- General Information: clitop@siam.fc.ul.pt
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