Mountain Adaptation Outlook Series - Synthesis Report

would have a significant long-term impact on tourism on Kilimanjaro, a combination of increasing numbers of visitors and climate change pose other threats to the ecosystems and endemic species on this and other mountains in the region. The number of visitors is likely to decrease after a disaster, whether it is climate related or not. In Nepal, for example, tourist numbers dropped from 790 000 in 2014 to 550 000 in 2015 after two devastating earthquakes. The tourism sector is also vulnerable to water scarcity in dry areas, which may become even drier in the future. In Ladakh, India, tourists are already asked to bring water from lower sources to help address the problem. Along with negative impacts, climate change has also some positive impacts on tourism in mountain regions. In the Hindu Kush Himalaya, for example, warming temperatures have made the trekking season longer andmore comfortable for more people, which has had a positive effect on tourism in parts of the region. In the Western Balkans and Carpathians, warming temperatures are extending the summer tourism season. In the future, the (relatively) cooler mountain areas may receive an influx of tourists as higher temperatures and summer heatwaves make the coasts and lowlands less bearable. However, changes in biodiversity and agro- ecosystems, and increases in vector-borne diseases may all impact summer tourism to varying degrees.

Climbers on Stok Kangri Mountain, Ladakh, India

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