Abstract

The tourism industry is considered to be highly vulnerable to climate change due to the strong causal relationship between weather patterns and tourist travel. However, the effects of this vulnerability to climate change on tourism have not yet been extensively quantified. Furthermore, the extent to which tourism is more or less vulnerable or resilient to climate change compared to other sectors of the economy is not known. The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which vulnerability and resilience to climate change affect tourism and the overall economy. The results show that both the tourism industry and the entire economy is vulnerable, but also resilient, to climate change. Compared to the overall economy, the tourism industry is more vulnerable to climate change. However, while more vulnerable, the tourism industry shows greater resilience in the face of a changing climate. Further, vulnerability and resiliency were examined across low, middle, and high income tier countries. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.