Risk, hazards and resilience – tourism, climate change, Malta and the Mediterranean

Abstract

This presentation will aim to discuss threats to, and consequences of current tourism growth and development and emerging issues associated with risk, natural hazards and resilience measures that are related to current estimations of climate change impact. The Mediterranean and Malta are used as a specific case.

The validity and practicality of management options to tackle the complex nature and juxtaposition between tourism, climate change and Mediterranean tourism growth are considered. This includes an evaluation of current threats, management issues and consequent policy choices. The paper proposes that public perception and policy implementation often ignore climate change warnings resulting in inadequate or inappropriate management responses. In conclusion integrated sustainable management strategies are considered and advocated for managing tourism destinations and the associated threats from climate change. Recommendations are considered which aim to ameliorate projected impacts on the tourism industries within the Mediterranean and Malta with more broad implications implied for Mediterranean tourism and further afield tourist destinations globally.