Black Sea region: An important alternative for summer tourism in coming years
The research conducted by experts suggest that the Black Sea region could emerge as a significant alternative for summer tourism and a viable option for the tourism sector in adapting to climate change. A study, titled “Projected Summer Tourism Potential of the Black Sea Region,” conducted at Boğaziçi University’s Climate Change and Policies Implementation and Research Center, indicates that cities along the Black Sea coast, including Sakarya, Ordu, Samsun, Trabzon, and Rize, could offer suitable comfort levels for beach tourism during the summer season.
Same experts emphasized that climate change impacts varied across regions and sectors, with tourism being particularly susceptible. Their research, considering the near-medium term from 2026 to 2050 under a pessimistic scenario, highlights the changing demand for tourism destinations and the evolving patterns of travel due to climate influence.
The Holiday Climate Index employed in their study incorporates various climate variables such as temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, wind speed, and cloud cover, providing a comprehensive assessment of tourist comfort.
CLIMATE CHANGE CAN MAKE BLACK SEA REGION AN IMPORTANT ALTERNATIVE FOR TOURISM
The findings suggest that climate change could potentially improve tourism comfort in the Black Sea region, attracting more visitors. However, same experts cautioned that without effective measures, tourist regions in the Aegean and Mediterranean might face financial losses in the short to medium term.
Experts also stressed the importance of identifying alternative tourism routes as a means of adapting to climate change, with the Black Sea coast emerging as a favorable option from a climatic perspective. Notably, certain regions of the Central and Western Black Sea exhibit Mediterranean climate characteristics, with temperatures in the warmest month surpassing 22 degrees Celsius, making them attractive destinations for tourists.
