Tourists usually flock to Malta for its warm weather and sunny beaches. However, a report project, published in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism has found that increasingly hot temperatures could actually be having an adverse effect of Mediterranean tourism, including that Maltese.
While Spain is expected to be the worst hit country, Malta might be spared of this phenomenon mainly because it is surrounded by the sea according to David Viner, from the University of East Anglia.
Granted that Malta is not expected to be among the worst affected, the study is still bad news for Maltese tourism figures which dwindeled by 4.6% in June 2006 in a year-by-year comparison issued by the National Statistics Office (NSO). The Leisure & Tourism Economic Group of the Malta Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise recently expressed its concern after the number of tourists visiting Malta during the first six months of 2006 hit a 10 year low.
Speaking to The Times, the academic on the study said that that while the average temperature will probably shift gradually, freak weather such as this summer's heatwave and that of 2003 are likely to take place more often. In France alone 15,000 people are estimated to have died from the 2003 heatwave.
The study, a British and Dutch report project studied the effect of global warming on tourism. Making general projections for as far away as 2050 and 2080, the study also found that by 2050 it is estimated that a summer like that of 2003 will take place every two years. Ironically, the study also revealed that Maltese persons could be abandoning their home country’s sunny beaches to experience the milder summer climate of beaches in Blackpool in England.
Dr. Viner also stated that people in Northern Europe are likely to rethink their holiday plans when a frequent repetition of very hot summers occurs. According to The Times Dr Viner added that "The 2003 heatwave did not affect tourism statistics that year because most people had made their bookings. But the year after tour operators noticed that people were making bookings later in the year”. It was noted that in turn, tourist resorts in the north became more popular.
Although many are led to believe that most Britons and Germans visit places like Malta for the culture, according to Dr Viner, they are actually attracted by the weather. “If the weather back home is warm and sunny, as it was here up till recently, then they are likely to start reconsidering their travel plans,” continued Dr Viner.
Ultimately, Dr Viner believes that Maltese tourism depends on how the country markets itself. The change in weather could make the low season, especially during the Easter period, more attractive.
See also:
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Aug 11, 2006, 16:32 CET
Inbound tourism decreases
By MaltaMedia News
Jul 31, 2006, 12:53 CET
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