Tourism under climate change scenarios: impacts, possibilities, and challenges

Abstract Tourism can be considered an economic sector highly sensitive to climate change and it contributes to the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG), one of the causes of global warming. To mitigate the negative effects, the concept of sustainable tourism development emerges, which should incorporate the externalities derived from climate change. Given this reality, this research aims to examine the impacts, opportunities, and challenges for sustainable tourism development under global climate change scenarios. The methodology has a descriptive/analytical, interdisciplinary, and systemic approach, based on bibliometric and documentary research, and interviews with tourism development and climate change experts. The results include the construction of scenarios that may show the possible impacts and consequences of climate change on the international tourism system, providing information for mitigation purposes, planning for adaptation actions, and minimizing impacts and vulnerability.