This report assesses the impact of climate change on Australia’s tourism industry, highlighting the significant risks posed to both natural and man-made tourism assets. Using the Zurich-Mandala Climate Risk Index, the report evaluates 178 Australian tourism sites, identifying key vulnerabilities to climate-related perils such as droughts, floods, storms, and bushfires. The findings reveal that half of the tourism sites studied are already exposed to substantial climate risks, with projections indicating that this number will rise to 55% by 2050 under moderate warming scenarios. Sites in Queensland, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory are particularly vulnerable, with natural attractions like the Daintree Rainforest and Kakadu National Park facing severe risks. In addition to ecological concerns, the report discusses the economic consequences of climate-related disruptions, estimating that up to 176,000 jobs could be lost nationwide due to decreased tourism activity. The analysis calls for immediate action to improve the climate resilience of Australia’s tourism assets, including investments in infrastructure adaptation and enhanced site management strategies. The report concludes with recommendations for integrating climate risk assessments into tourism and environmental policies to safeguard Australia’s natural and cultural heritage while maintaining the viability of the tourism sector in the face of a changing climate.
Authors
- Pages
- 78
- Published in
- Australia
Table of Contents
- Report -1
- Slide 3: Contents 3
- Slide 4: Executive Summary 4
- Slide 5: Contents 5
- Slide 7: Contents 7
- Slide 10: Contents 10
- Slide 12: Zurich Resilience Solutions (ZRS) 12
- Slide 13: The impact of climate change on tourism assets varies significantly, depending on the type and extent of natural elements versus man-made structures 13
- Slide 15 15
- Slide 19: Wind, rain and storms pose the greatest climate risk to Australian tourism, but each region must adapt to different challenges to improve resilience 19
- Slide 20: The top ten most at-risk tourism assets are predominantly rainforests and national parks, facing significant risk from heat, bushfires and wind 20
- Slide 23: The top ten most at-risk airport sites are predominantly located in Western Australia or Queensland 23
- Slide 29: Key tourism assets in New South Wales are concentrated in metropolitan areas, where most sites are man-made 29
- Slide 30: Popular tourism assets like Sydney Harbour, Byron Bay and the Hunter Valley face the greatest climate risk in New South Wales 30
- Slide 35: Key tourism assets in Victoria are geographically dispersed throughout the state, and most regional sites are natural 35
- Slide 36: Tourism assets located in or near Melbourne make up the majority of the most at-risk sites in Victoria 36
- Slide 41: Most tourism assets in Western Australia are natural, and most are regionally located 41
- Slide 42: Wind and heat are major sources of risk for the most impacted tourism sites in Western Australia 42
- Slide 47: All of the Australian Capital Territory’s key tourism assets are located around metropolitan Canberra, and most are man-made 47
- Slide 48: Despite the Australian Capital Territory facing lower overall climate risk than other jurisdictions, flood, rain and storm impacts some tourism assets 48
- Slide 53: Most of South Australia’s top tourism assets are in the south east of the state, and are split between natural and man-made sites 53
- Slide 54: South Australian vineyards, national parks and coastal tourism assets face the most severe climate risk in the state 54
- Slide 59: Key tourism assets in Queensland are concentrated on the coastline along the length of the state 59
- Slide 60: Rainforests and national parks face the most climate risk in QLD, with significant impacts from wind 60
- Slide 65: Key tourism assets in Tasmania are spread across the State, with most regional sites being natural 65
- Slide 66: Tasmania’s national parks and rainforests face considerable risk from wind, drought, bushfire and flood 66
- Slide 71: Most of the Northern Territory’s key tourism assets are located in regional areas and are natural 71
- Slide 72: National Parks face the greatest climate risk in the Northern Territory, with heat and bushfire the most impactful risk 72
- Slide 74: Contents 74
- Slide 75: Appendix – Tourism Sites (1 of 3) 75
- Slide 76: Appendix - Tourism Sites (2 of 3) 76
- Slide 77: Appendix - Tourism Sites (3 of 3) 77
