Some impacts and adaptation responses

1
Some impacts and adaptation responses

• Possible adaptation
• Adjust tour schedules to avoid heat of day
  shift to evening activities and early morning
• Provide shade and promote SunSmart initiatives
• Provide more training in safe food handling
  practices
• Factor in reduced visitation in budgets
• Extend marketing activities for shoulder seasons
• Utilise alternative propulsion methods (solar,
  etc)
• Develop appropriate architecture and use
  vegetation specific for the climate

• Examples of
• potential impacts
• Extreme discomfort for visitors and staff
• Increased risk of heat related fatigue
• Impact on food hygiene
• Changes in tourism seasons
• Impacts on plant and equipment

Projection Higher mean temperature More
days over 35ºC
2
Some impacts and adaptation responses Audience
Response

• Possible adaptation
• Buy local, buy less, grow own. Source local
  supplies to reduce travel and vulnerability to
  transport distribution
• Implement mandatory water saving measures.
  Increase capacity to hold water (onsite
  catchment), harvest storm water, regional water
  supplies, calculate and monitor water and energy
  use. Use drought resistant plants/mulch gardens
• Build infrastructure to cope with more intense
  rainfall and avoid erosion (channelling, drain
  design, slow down runoff)
• Manage media image of TNQ re wet, crocs and
  stingers. Promote rainfall as a resource/strength
• Plan for rescheduling of tours and develop refund
  policies, indoor activities and inland activities
  for wet days

• Examples of
• potential impacts
• Increased cost in landscaping and maintenance of
  gardens
• Flooding disrupting transport of deliveries
• Disruption to tours and outdoor activities
• Erosion especially around infrastructure
• Erosion impacts on the reef and quality of coral
  (region specific)
• Rainfall affects income, accommodation, food,
  beverage, as well as tours and activities
  (visitors leave earlier)

Projection Tendency for less rainfall Increase
in number of days between rainfalls Increase in
rainfall intensity
3
Some impacts and adaptation responses Audience
Response

• Possible adaptation
• Budget for increasing insurance costs.
  Investigate risks and shoreline protection
  measures with regulatory authorities.
• Increase awareness / education and marketing /
  media control (proactive approach) for consumers
  and wholesalers about cyclones and the tourism
  industry
• Design of new/alternate infrastructure, jetties,
  pontoons with enhanced specifications to
  anticipate climate change. Planning of new
  sites/evacuation plans
• Better coordination of industry to keep smaller
  businesses after cyclone long term benefits of
  greater diversity in businesses

Projection Increase in cyclone
intensity Increase in storm surge risk

• Examples of
• potential impacts
• Damage to buildings
• Coastal erosion loss of aesthetic appeal
• Challenges relating to refurbishment of buildings
• Visitors stuck indoors or in the destination
• Shorter booking times
• Rising insurance costs and flow-on impacts
• Shorter season with perception of more cyclones
• Pressure on public purse from natural disasters
• Competition from bigger players after cyclones

4
Some impacts and adaptation responses Audience
Response

• Possible adaptation
• Invest in larger vessels able to cope with higher
  wind
• Increase the Employee mix change ratio of casual
  and permanent staff to keep minimum core ready,
  focus on core products
• Work with other business to increase the
  available mix of staff
• Install wind generators to make use of the wind
• Landscape to minimise damage to buildings
• Develop a plan of action for high winds e.g. who
  needs to baton down the hatches

• Examples of
• potential impacts
• Damage to property
• Trip cancellation
• Less paid working days for staff
• Some activities might become unavailable (e.g.
  ballooning on tablelands)

Projection Higher wind speed (winter/summer)
5
Some impacts and adaptation responses Audience
Response

• Possible adaptation
• Facilitate regional planning inc beyond area
• Develop Evacuation strategies
• Appropriate design for new buildings or
  renovations
• Take potential damage into account for design or
  new infrastructure/renovations
• Increase awareness during safety briefings to
  staff and guests

• Examples of
• potential impacts
• Flooding of low lying areas
• Infrastructure at risk e.g. jetties, boardwalks
• Longer stinger seasons
• Less paid working days for staff
• Low lying infrastructure, inc health, road and
  air access
• Changes in ecosystems and changes in vector borne
  diseases

Projection Sea level rising Warmer ocean
temperatures
6
Some impacts and adaptation responses Audience
Response

• Possible adaptation
• Protect both reef and wet tropics from as much as
  possible, e.g. shading or other strategies to
  reduce coral bleaching range of options
  (increase resilience)
• Educate guests and the host community to manage
  guest expectations
• Consider other Unique Selling Propositions in
  your marketing message - reduced emissions,
  carbon footprint
• Manage expectations in marketing collateral e.g.
  Fish vs. Coral, Outback

• Examples of
• potential impacts
• Lower destination attractiveness
• Guests demand refunds due to lack of colour of
  in corals
• Longer term impacts algal growth over large
  areas

Projection Coral Bleaching