Extreme heat poses threat to Spanish beach tourism – is Watt surprised?

Article by Eric Worrell

So go swimming a few weeks early in the season?

Extreme heat poses 'real risk' to Spanish mass tourism

Public health adviser says heatwaves caused by climate crisis pose danger to tourists not used to heat

Sam Jones in Madrid
Saturday, July 27, 2024 14:00 Australian Eastern Standard Time

The climate emergency poses a “real risk” to Spain's traditional mass tourism model, a senior public health adviser has warned, as rising temperatures and more frequent heatwaves hit the country's most popular coastal destinations.

Hector Tejero, head of health and climate change at the Spanish Ministry of Health, said the physical impact of the climate emergency was becoming increasingly clear and that the ministry had begun discussions with the British Embassy on how best to educate “vulnerable” tourists about climate change. Negotiate.

Asked whether the climate emergency could lead to the disappearance of tourism in parts of Spain in the future, Tejero said: “This is a real risk because Spain's big tourism industry sun and beach Tourist areas – the areas most dependent on tourism – are where Spain will be most affected by climate change; places such as the south and east of the peninsula – basically the Mediterranean coast. The most visited areas will certainly become less habitable due to more heat waves and hotter nights.

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“I would say tourism is one of the many industries that is at risk from climate change,” Tejero said. “In addition to the tensions it creates in some areas, it also requires adapting to the coming climate reality. This is why we need to adapt tourism, consider reducing tourism, and work to mitigate the effects of climate change before they get worse. Impact. But Spain is the EU country most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, and that won't change anytime soon.

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Learn more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/27/extreme-heat-poses-real-risk-to-spains-mass-tourism-industry

How could the “climate emergency” get any more ridiculous?

There's something called winter in Spain, and it's cold. Summer in Spain is very hot. Between Spain's hot summers and cold winters there's a temperature for everyone. If you don't like the heat, go a few weeks in advance. Or, if it's too hot, opt for one of the beaches on Spain's north coast, where the weather is cooler.

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