High Temperatures and Tourism: Findings from China

Dandan Yu, Shan Li (), Ning (Chris) Chen, Michael Hall and Zhongyang Guo
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Dandan Yu: Department of Economics and Management, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China
Shan Li: School of Geographic Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
Ning (Chris) Chen: Department of Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand
Michael Hall: Department of Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand
Zhongyang Guo: School of Geographic Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 19, 1-14

Abstract: Climate change and its fluctuations exert significant impacts on the tourism industry, particularly through the influence of high temperatures as typical meteorological and climatic factors on tourists’ travel intentions, spatial behavior preferences, and destination choices. This study employs China as a case study to investigate the effects of high-temperature weather on tourism and tourist travel. By analyzing news reports, conducting observations, and examining statistics, an exploratory analysis of tourism in China under high-temperature scenarios reveals several noteworthy findings. Firstly, tourists seeking relief from the summer heat exhibit a preference for short-distance trips and destinations rich in natural resources. Secondly, heat-escape tourism products have gradually transformed over time, evolving from mountain heat escapes in the 1980s to waterfront vacations in the 1990s, artificial water leisure in the 2000s, and ultimately culminating in the development of heat-escape cities in the 2010s. Additionally, this study examines interregional disparities in summer tourism climate amenity across China using the Holiday Climate Index (HCI), the Tourism Climate Index (TCI), and daily data from 775 weather stations. It also provides a summary of the spatiotemporal evolution from 1961 to 2020 within the context of climate change, revealing intriguing findings. Moreover, a case study of Shanghai Disneyland demonstrates the greater significance of the holiday system compared to temperature constraints. This study aims to examine the interaction between high temperatures and China’s tourism in the context of climate change, providing a scientific foundation for government agencies and tourism enterprises to develop effective policies and plans.

Keywords: heat-escape tourism; climate change; climate amenity; Holiday Climate Index (HCI); Tourism Climate Index (TCI); Shanghai Disneyland (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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