68% of Australian Tourist Assets at Risk by 2050 Due to Climate Crisis

Majority of the policy discussions in Australia were largely centered on reducing emissions rather than acknowledging the worsening effects of climate change.

This year, a study found that black summer fires reduced the tourism and supply chain by $2.8 billion instantly.

South Australia’s national attractions, like the wine region, are covered in bushfire smoke, the Daintree is cut off by flooding, and tourists stranded at major airports due to violent storms. This could be a potentially chaotic future for the Australian tourism industry. 

Half of 178 tourism assets across the nation, like the airport, national parks, and metropolitan attractions, are under significant climate risks. As global warming is rising, so are disruptions. Many of the tourism-related jobs, which amount to 620,000 might be under threat, according to a report made by economic analysts Mandala and insurance firm Zurich.

The magnitude of the issue was something economists and Mandala partner Adam Triggs never expected. The extent to which this risk is systematic became evident in different sites around the country were examined. 

A report published on Monday used data from Zurich that examined the vulnerable areas to nine climatic hazards, including wind, heat, cold, bushfire, flood, rain, hail, storm, and drought.

The analysis used climate models to account for the changes in these locations, assuming moderate greenhouse gas emissions with global warming by 2C by the mid-century. By 2050, this level of warming would put 68% of the tourism assets in the major risk category. 

Compared to any other state, Queensland has 52% of its sites in the highest of the five risk categories, meaning there are high risks with a very high level of impact on every location.

Several well-known areas are deemed to be under high risk are the National Arboretum in Canberra,  the Royal Botanic Gardens in Syndey, the Great Ocean Road and the Grampians in Victoria, Cable Beach, and Kalbarri National Park in Western Australia.

The Barossa and Adelaide Hills in South Australia are at risk, as well as the Daintree and K’Gari islands in Queensland, the Cataract Gorge in Tasmania, and Kakadu and Uluru in the Northern Territory are all vulnerable. 

Due to their location and exposure to winds and storms, all 31 of Australia’s significant airports fell into the two groups with the highest climate risk. 

The areas with the highest level of climate risk are wine-growing regions, botanic gardens, scenic highways and train lines, national parks, and rainforests. Museums, stadiums, and galleries have relatively low risk. 

Triggs said Australia needed to put far more effort into assisting sites to become more resilient and adapt to the effects of climate change already here.

2019 and 2020 black summer bushfires reduced tourism revenues by 35%. More than half of the employment would be lost if a similar revenue loss occurred today, putting up to 176,000 jobs at risk. 

This year, a study found that black summer fires reduced the tourism and supply chain by $2.8 billion instantly. 

According to Triggs, the majority of the policy discussions in Australia were largely centered on reducing emissions rather than acknowledging the worsening effects of climate change. 

Everyone will find the findings from the reports concerning, says Professor Daniel Gschwind at Griffith Institute of Tourism. It clearly shows that the burden of global policy failure has been faced by the tourism industry for decades.

The travel and tourism sector must actively take responsibility for promoting climate change and use most of its communication channels to raise public awareness. 

To continue building resilience to the effects of climate change, tourism assets, government, and communities must keep improving and double down their efforts.