CLIMATE, WEATHER, AND TOURISM Issues and Opportunities BY SCOTT CURTIS, P ATRICK LONG, AND JENNIFER ARRIGO CLIMATE, WEATHER, AND TOURISM: ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES WHAT: Approximately 100 scientists, academics, public policy officials, nonprofit leaders, and business owners addressed the short- and long-term impacts of weather and climate fluctuations on the economic vitality of the tourism industry. WHEN: 14–15 November 2008 WHERE : Greenville, North Carolina I ncreasingly, tourists are taking into consider- ation the weather of the day or week as well as other climate-related factors when determining vacation destinations, activities, and ultimately the extent to which they enjoy their travel experience. Wind, humidity, temperature, drought, storminess, snow conditions, water temperature, and degree of sunshine are a few of the variables that affect visitors’ decisions, satisfaction, and the extent of spending— that important economic “bottom line” for tourism businesses and tourism destinations. To help bridge the divide between atmospheric science expertise and data and business practices, the Center for Sustainable Tourism (CST) at East Carolina University hosted a timely workshop to i) provide a forum to explore the interchange of scientific information with decision- making needs of tourism businesses; ii) identify the questions that need to be answered to make this in- terchange effective; and iii) create an organizational structure that serves as the policy-making framework for the long-term management of a climate, weather, and tourism initiative. The workshop was organized into three main themes related to weather and cli- mate: current trends in tourism, information needs and communication, and vulnerabilities and adaptive management capacities for the future. CURRENT TRENDS IN TOURISM. Ken Cordell, pioneering scientist and project leader of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, began by explaining that tourists are choosing outdoor activities now more than ever before. But, while leisure has been increasing, time devoted to outdoor recreation has in fact decreased, as people are taking more frequent but shorter-duration trips. This trend has been attributed in many ways to a changing economy, as household discretionary income is being stretched further. Additionally, tourists increasingly are seeking more inexpensive local destinations (e.g., walking trails) for recreation and leisure rather than AFFILIATIONS : CURTIS AND ARRIGO—Applied Atmospheric Science Program, Department of Geography, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina; LONG—Center for Sustainable Tourism, Division of Research and Graduate Studies, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina CORRESPONDING AUTHOR : Scott Curtis, Applied Atmospheric Science Program, Department of Geography, East Carolina University, Brewster A232, Greenville, NC 27858 E-mail: curtisw@ecu.edu DOI:10.1175/2010BAMS2983.1 In final form 26 August 2010 ©2011 American Meteorological Society 361 MARCH 2011 AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY | Downloaded from http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/pdf/10.1175/2010BAMS2983.1 by guest on 05 July 2020