How has climate change affected tourism this year?

There’s no denying how severe weather affects travel. Travelers witnessed flight delays and cancellations due to winter storms, hurricanes, wildfires and even turbulence.

These problems will add money and time to your travel experience, increasing overall frustration with an already stressful process, even on the best of days.

The bad news is that the weather continues to make travel more expensive and, frankly, there’s nothing you can do about it. But there are some ways you can at least reduce stress.

Jet streams and turbulence

According to the 2023 reportTurbulence is increasing on commercial flights due to more severe weather, influenced by global warming. This results in more time on the ground due to flight delays and more time in the air as airlines try to avoid turbulence through route diversions.

Most recently data from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration attributed nearly 40% of all accidents on major commercial airlines between 2009 and 2018 to turbulence.

Clear air turbulence or non-convective turbulence is the most worrying thing for travelers. It develops around jet streams, which are “fast-flowing bands of wind that spread across the globe”, Isabel SmithPh.D. student at the University of Reading, said. Smith warns that this type of turbulence will increase with climate change as jet streams strengthen due to global warming.

“Clear air is predicted to increase with climate change because jet streams are strengthening due to global warming,” she said. “Aircraft flying at cruising altitude (30 to 40 thousand feet above the surface) can be suddenly attacked from clear air without warning, resulting in damage and injuries.”

Smith uses high-resolution climate models to predict increases in atmospheric turbulence.

“Airlines try to avoid chaos as much as possible, which often leads to longer flights and longer wait times,” she said. “As a result, airlines use more fuel and therefore release more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.”

The financial burden on the domestic aviation industry due to complex routes is doubled – not to mention the additional 70 million kg of CO2 released into the atmosphere every year. US airlines spend up to $500 million on turbulence-related injuries, delays and damages every year, according to the agency. National Center for Atmospheric Research.

Storm

Hurricane Helene impacted much of the Southeast, including North Carolina, Georgia, and Northeast Florida in late September. No doubt this was a big factor in the nearly 1,000 flights (plus flights that were delays and cancellations) in the United States according to Flight Aware data as of September 27.

Just days later, West Florida saw another storm — Storm Milton. It hit south of Tampa Bay and caused damage as far as Palm Beach County on the state’s east coast. All local airports, including Tampa International Airport (TPA) and Orlando International Airport (MCO), are temporarily closed.

In July, just a month into hurricane season, the Caribbean saw it first level 5 storm, Marking the earliest level 5 storm in the storm season to date.

Forecasters at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center is predicting an 85% chance of an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season in 2024. This outlook is much less optimistic than for 2023, when the same scientists estimated a 40% chance a nearly normal hurricane season occurred across the Atlantic.

As of November 27, 18 named storms have formed in the Atlantic in 2024.

Forest fire

As of November 22, more than 52,000 wildfires have burned more than 8.1 million acres through 2024, according to National Interagency Fire Center. the Disaster Charity Center predicts this number will “occur with increasing frequency and intensity” due to climate change. Report warns that half of the people at risk of wildfires in 2052 will live in the American South.

According to the organization, climate change, including rising temperatures, prolonged droughts and a thirsty atmosphere, is the main cause of increased risk and severity of wildfires in the Western United States over two decades. via. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “Wildfire requires the association of several factors, including temperature, humidity and the lack of moisture in fuels, such as trees, shrubs, grass and forest debris. All of these factors This has a strong direct or indirect relationship with climate change and climate change.

In June 2023, forest fires in Canada causing smoke and poor air quality on the East Coast and Midwest. Just two months later, forest fires caused by wind in Hawaii caused evacuations, road closures, power problems and devastation across much of west Maui and the Big Island’s Kohala Coast.

Forest fires in Europe have been particularly severe in the past two years; There were fires in Portugal, Greece and Türkiye this summer 2024 and in Croatia, Portugal, GreeceSpain, Italy and other countries in 2023. European Union named 2023 “worst this century” in terms of fires across member states.

Winter storm

Bad weather is inevitable at certain times of the year in certain regions. However, like other patterns documented in this story, we are seeing more frequent extreme weather, largely due to climate change.

This means typical winter storms are likely to be more destructive than before and often impact travel.

So far in 2024, major winter storms have occurred in Midwest in January, followed by a storm on the East Coast in February. A late winter storm in Denver in March caused more than 5,000 flights to be delayed and canceled.

The holiday season will be one Check the airline in managing high ridership and winter weather.

Measures are in place

Many European cities have become more expensive to visit due to overtourism, including:

• Rome introduce a tourism tax in 2024. Rates range from 3 to 7 euros ($3.17 to $7.40) per night, depending on the accommodation’s star rating.
• Venice introduced one tourism tax 2024, ranging from 1 euro to 5 euros ($1.08 to $5.40) per night per accommodation, in addition to a 5 euro ($5.40) day trip tax during peak periods from April to mid-May 7.
• Barcelona has been charging for a long time Regional tourism taxes and city-wide surcharges for travelers since 2012, with regional taxes starting at 1.70 euros ($1.84) for four-star hotels and surcharges rising to 3.25 euros ($3.52) per night.
• Spain’s Balearic Islands charge a sustainable tourism tax on the islands, ranging from 1 to 4 euros ($1.06 to $4.23) per night, depending on the type of accommodation.
• Germany charges a culture and bed tax in some cities – including Berlin, Hamburg and Frankfurt – of 2 to 3 euros ($2.16 to $3.24) per night.
• Greece charges a nightly climate tax of 0.54 to 4 euros ($0.54 to $4.32) per night; this increases to 5 euros ($5.40) for visits between April and October.
• France charges a tourist tax by city, ranging from 0.80 euros to 4 euros (0.86 to 4.32 USD) per night, depending on the type of accommodation.
• Portugal charges 2 euros ($2.16) per night for the first seven nights in select cities, including Libson, Porto and Faro, with lower fees in other cities.
• Prague charges 50 korunas ($2.11) per person, per night for hotel stays.

Elsewhere, countries are enacting different types of travel taxes, including:

• Bhutan charges a sustainable development fee of 200 USD.
• Bali charge a tourist tax of 150,000 rupiah (9.25 USD).
• Maldives charges tourists a green tax, ranging from 3 to 6 USD per day.
• New Zealand charges tourists an International Tourism Tax of 100 New Zealand dollars ($59.80).

There is growing concern about overtourism water scarcityoften worsened by extreme heat and lack of rainfall. A growing number of cities, from Barcelona to Mexico City, are taking measures to prevent future water disruptions and limit water supplies to residents and tourists.

In Greece, infrastructure has not kept up with the growing number of tourists as the country’s islands become increasingly popular; it is newest destination whose main water reservoir is shrinking due to climate change. With the reservoir now at its lowest level in more than 15 years, city officials warn of further water restrictions or even no water at all.

In response, Greece recently announced many measures, includes taxing and limiting cruise ship passengers visiting certain Greek islands during the summer. It also does one climate restoration fees and a moratorium on new short-term rentals in Athens.

Bottom line

Data and weather patterns suggest that severe weather will continue to increase. The effects will continue to impact every point of the travel process and will be felt by airlines and travelers alike.

In short, extreme weather is becoming more and more frequent in many aspects of daily life, and travel is no exception. In fact, I’m writing this on a flight to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where I’m currently experiencing, you guessed it, chaos.

Weather disruptions are inevitable, but there are steps you can take as a traveler to prepare. For example, you can use or rely on third-party travel insurance Credit cards come with insurance.

Keep in mind that most travel insurance policies do not cover trip cancellations if you cancel in advance because the weather forecast looks gloomy.

One of TPG’s favorite travel rewards cards is Chase Sapphire Reserve®. If you use this card to book a flight that’s delayed more than six hours or has to stay overnight because of inclement weather, you can get up to $500 per ticket, among other refunds. Some of our other most recommended credit cards that offer trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance are Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card And American Express Platinum® Card.

These can offset unexpected expenses you may incur due to a delayed trip.

Also, remember that the U.S. Department of Transportation Ask the airline to refund passengers have flights cancelled, significantly delayed or face significant schedule changes.

Flight delays and cancellations may have you scrambling to come up with a plan B, but there is Tools can help make this easier. TSA PreCheck and Clear can help you get through TSA security faster, while Global Entry speeds entry into the United States

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Will climate change lead to more turbulence on flights?