29 Aug, 2024 @ 16:00
1 min read

Spain’s tourism industry is at major risk from climate change, study warns: These areas face losing the most holidaymakers

Fieberthermometer bei ueber 40 Grad, Fieber, Clinical thermometer Credit: Ohde/face to face *** Local Caption *** 32969179

SPAIN is facing a devastating cocktail of climate change phenomena that threatens to decimate its tourist industry.

Alongside Italy, France, and the UK, Spain has been identified as one of the European countries most at risk of losing tourists as extreme weather events become more frequent.

Tourist-centric Malaga has been identified specifically as the Spanish region most at risk of excessive heat – one of three extreme weather phenomena that is predicted to worsen over time.

This is according to a recent study by researchers in Italy which analysed the impact of climate change on popular tourist destinations across Europe.

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Windy Weather In Mallorca
Strong wind storms are affected to hit several countries in the future

They identified the countries with tourism sectors that will most be at risk from excessive heat, floods and gales.

The areas of Spain most dependent on tourism stand acutely vulnerable to all three. 

Excessive heat, in particular, is expected to have a significant impact on tourism in Spain. 

The study found that Spain is the second most vulnerable country in Europe to extreme heat. 

Around 12% of Spain’s tourist attractions will be affected by extreme heat stress, behind only Italy with a staggering 49%.

This could lead to potential tourists looking elsewhere for a summer holiday in order to avoid the unbearable temperatures.

Excessive heat is likely to also hit France, while strong gales will hit the United Kingdom, Italy and France the most, and flooding will increase the most in France, Italy and the United Kingdom.

It will rank fifth as the country whose tourist attractions are most vulnerable to river floods (9%) in Europe, with France (16%) and Italy (15%) taking first and second spot respectively. 

And 9% of Spain’s tourist-heavy areas will be afflicted by wind storms, making it fourth behind France (13%), Italy (14%) and way out in front is the UK (29%).

Walter Finch

Walter Finch, who comes from a background in video and photography, is keen on reporting on and investigating organised crime, corruption and abuse of power. He is fascinated by the nexus between politics, business and law-breaking, as well as other wider trends that affect society.
Born in London but having lived in six countries, he is well-travelled and worldly. He studied Philosophy at the University of Birmingham and earned his diploma in journalism from London's renowned News Associates during the Covid era.
He got his first break in the business working on the Foreign News desk of the Daily Mail's online arm, where he also helped out on the video desk.
He then decided to escape the confines of London and returned to Spain in 2022, having previously lived in Barcelona for many years.
He took up up a reporter role with the Olive Press Newspaper and today he is based in La Linea de la Concepcion at the heart of a global chokepoint and crucial maritime hub, where he edits the Olive Press Gibraltar edition.
He is also the deputy news editor across all editions of the newspaper.

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