BEST EN Think Tank VIII Sustaining Quality of Life through Tourism Tourism Professionals ’ Attitudes towards Climate Change and their Strategies to Respond to Global Warming

This paper discusses three aspects of the interrelationship between tourism and climate change: the perception of the problems related to global warming by tourism professionals, their suggestions concerning possible actions that can be taken to reduce tourism's impacts on the world climate and the actual actions implemented by their organizations. Background Global climate change is arguably the most serious environmental issue of our time, and tourism is not just a potential victim of it. This paper bears in mind that tourism’s contribution to climate change only accounts for a minor share of global greenhouse gases. However, within the context of tourism and leisure, today it is widely accepted by both tourism professionals and tourists that air travel- the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions- will significantly contribute to global warming and therefore affect many destinations negatively (WWF, 2001). Air travel is not the only source of greenhouse effects since emissions from other sectors will also add considerable pressure on the natural environment. The tourism industry’s heavy reliance on the local environment and climate to sell holidays means that it could face serious challenges as