Climate has an obvious influence on tourism as a resource and as a location factor for tourist activities. Consequently, the tourist phenomenon in general is heavily controlled by meteorological conditions-in short, by the climate. In this article, the author proposes a set of weather types with which to establish the climate aptitude for sun and beach tourism. To determine these types, the density of use of one of the beaches with the lowest seasonality in continental Europe, the Levante Beach in Benidorm (Alicante, Spain), was analysed. Beach attendance was monitored using a webcam installed by the "Agencia Valenciana de Turismo". The relationship between the density of use of the lower and upper beach areas on the one hand, and meteorological variables on the other, allowed comfort (physiological equivalent temperature) and enjoyment (fractions of solar radiation) thresholds to be established. The appropriate hydric comfort values were obtained by comparing the ranges proposed by Besancenot in 1989 [Besancenot (1989) Clima et turismes. Massom, París] with numbers of visitors to the beach. The wind velocity and precipitation thresholds were selected following consultation with the literature and considering the climatic characteristics of the environment under analysis. Based on a combination of these thresholds, weather types suitable for this specific tourist activity are defined. Thus, this article presents a method for assessing the extent to which a day on the beach can be enjoyed. This has a number of applications, for planners, the tourism business and consumers alike. The use of this (filter) method in climate databases and meteorological forecasts could help determine the tourist season, the suitability of setting up a business associated with sun and beach tourism, as well as help plan holidays and program a day's leisure activities. Thus, the article seeks to improve our understanding of the climate preferences of that tourist activity par excellence: sun and beach tourism.
Abstract. In the past two decades, episodes of flooding on the coast of Alicante (Spain) have led to substantial losses in human life in economic terms. With increased exposure to these phenomena comes also increased vulnerability. Given the various effects of flooding in areas of similar exposure, differences in vulnerability across regions at risk need to be analysed also in terms of the socioeconomic factors of the groups of society that may be affected, and of their perception of risk. This paper studies the increased risk of flooding in three locations on the Alicante coast as a result of urban occupation of areas subject to this hazard. The consequences of the most recent episodes in this area are analysed and a risk assessment, using survey-based research in the affected areas, is performed. Study area and subject relevanceThe province of Alicante is one of the main residential and tourist areas of the Spanish Mediterranean coast. At a European level, it is also one of the provinces with the highest risk of flooding (Schmidt, 2006), despite existing legal standards (water, spatial planning, environmental impact) that regulate land use according to the level of risk. Spatial planning for flood risk areas is a complicated issue in Spain and, many times, it is not taken into account despite the existence of a legal framework ordering the contrary.In the past three decades, episodes of flooding on the Alicante coast have led to substantial material losses and human victims. The reasons behind these trends lie in the increasCorrespondence to: M. Hernández (maria.hernandez@ua.es) ing human exposure and vulnerability to torrential rainfall and, above all, to the modification of hydrological parameters brought about by human occupation and alteration of natural areas and processes leading to increased runoff and flooding ratios. Objectives and methodsThis paper analyses vulnerability and exposure to the risk of flooding, and the management options developed to reduce this vulnerability in three towns on the Alicante coast between 1994 and 2005. Our working hypothesis, therefore, departs from an analysis of new "flood risk areas", with two objectives: (1) to assess and compare changes in vulnerability in these areas during the study period, using a series of selected indicators; and (2) to analyse the measures taken to reduce the risk of flooding, and their relation to the social perception of the existing risk.Our integrated approach combined quantitative methodologies (which are of particular relevance in analysing flood risk and the different dimensions of vulnerability) and qualitative methodologies (perception surveys). The quantitative approach focused on three basic aspects: (1) statistical analysis of heavy rainfall episodes; (2) analysis of vulnerability due to physical exposure (mapping and analysing the occupation of flood areas by using SIG, and calculating changes in maximum flow rates and their concentration times depending on different land uses); and (3) vulnerability analysis in terms of resistan...
RESUMENLa relevancia que el tiempo y el clima desempeñan en la planificación de los destinos y en la experiencia de viaje, nos advierte de la importancia que adquiere la información climático-meteorológica para el normal desarrollo de la actividad. Proporcionar información adaptada a los distintos usuarios y necesidades, con diferente resolución temporal y espacial, puede ser un elemento clave para el éxito y la sostenibilidad de los destinos turísticos. Este artículo explora, para el caso español, las características y deficiencias existentes en la información climático-meteorológica proporcionada a los turistas. Para ello se analizan los portales de los principales servicios públicos y privados de información climático-meteorológica y los portales promocionales de los destinos españoles a nivel estatal y autonómico. Los resultados indican que la información climático-meteorológica proporcionada a los turistas aunque aprueba los requisitos de disponibilidad, fiabilidad y credibilidad marcados por la OMM, no supera al completo los relativos al criterio de utilidad, por las carencias en la adaptación a las necesidades del turista consumidor.Palabras clave: información climático-meteorológica, turistas, destinos, Tecnologías de la Información y de la Comunicación (TICs), España. _____________ 1 Este aportación ha sido realizada en el marco del proyecto de investigación
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