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This article shows how the study of climate-preference demand (through surveys, interviews, behavior observation, etc.) is a key factor in the development of a catalog of types of weather suitable for tourism, which can then be applied to present or future climatic scenarios with the goal of evaluating climate-tourism potential. The proposal utilizes the weather-types method of Besancenot, Mounier and de Lavenne, which incorporates 7 climate variables and comfort indexes relevant to general tourism activities, to assess the spatial and temporal distribution of climate resources for tourism in Catalonia (Spain). The results were compared with the tourist's reality in the area of study, by considering the number of visitors and the occupation rate of tourist lodging. The study of present climate suitabilities and of tourists' behavior discloses several uncertainties that should be examined; however, at the same time, these suggest several management strategies which, if adopted, could be immediately beneficial for the tourist sector. At present, in the Spanish and Catalan case, the opportunities offered by climate-tourist resources are not being fully utilized. The periods and places identified as climatically suitable for tourism are greater than the periods and spaces actually used by tourists. This is why the agents and operators in the market must act on the demand, in consideration of the geographic-tourist space, and on the supply to maximize use of the climate resource.KEY WORDS: Weather · Climate · Tourism potential · Demand · Climate change · Catalonia Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherClim Res 32: [75][76][77][78][79][80][81][82][83][84][85][86][87] 2006 the question remain uncertain, but at the same time, it also offers some essential ideas for management strategies that would improve opportunities for the tourism sector both now and in a future climate-change scenario.

This research explores, by means of a questionnaire-based survey, public knowledge and perception as well as the behaviour of young Spanish tourists before, during and after the summer holiday period affected by an episode of extreme heat in 2003. The survey was administered between November and December 2004. The extraordinary heat wave of the summer of 2003 can be seen as an example of a normal episode in terms of the predicted intensity and duration of European summers towards the end of the twenty-first century. It can therefore be used as the laboratory setting for this study. In this context, the use of the climate analogue approach allows us to obtain novel perspectives regarding the future impact that this type of event could have on tourist demand, based on a real experience. Likewise, such an approach allows the strategies of adaptation implemented by the different elements in the tourist system in order to cope with the atmospheric episode to be evaluated. Such strategies could prove useful in reducing vulnerability when faced with similar episodes in the future. The main results indicate that Spanish tourists (young segment market) are flexible in adapting to episodes of extremely high temperatures. Their personal perception of the phenomenon, their behaviour and the adaptation measures implemented to a greater or lesser extent before that time, reduce the vulnerability of the sector when faced with this type of event, at least from the point of view of this young segment of the internal national market. In Spain, the episode of extreme heat of 2003 has led to the implementation or improvement of some adaptive measures after the event, especially in the fields of management, policy and education.

Fungi are some of the most diverse organisms on earth and since prehistoric times have played an important role in human society. In recent years they have become a strategic asset not only in the conservation and management of ecosystems but also as a resource for halting the exodus from rural areas in peripheral Mediterranean regions, such as inland eastern Spain. In view of this important ecological and socioeconomic role, in this paper we present a geographical analysis of edible fungi, paying particular attention to the Spanish case. To this end we carried out a bibliographic review of the climatic factors affecting the fruiting of these fungi and the socioeconomic aspects of their commercial exploitation. We also performed an online search for mycotourism-related activities and explored the statistical data on the cultivation of edible mushrooms and its economic impact. Our main findings include a synthesis of the international research on the effects of climatic variability on the natural production of macrofungi, and an assessment of the economic viability and the social importance of mushrooms in Spain, in particular in relation to the current and future potential of mushroom cultivation and the multifunctional management and use of forests.

Physical activity is an increasingly frequent part of our leisure time. Within this context, hiking is a popular form of tourism which has a positive impact on the quality of life. In spite of the importance of climate conditions for this recreational activity, relatively little research has been done on hiking from the perspective of climate and tourism. With this in mind in this paper we make the first detailed extensive assessment of climate preferences for the practice of hiking tourism in Spain. To this end a review of the theoretical/methodological body of literature on tourism climatology was conducted together with a survey aimed at evaluating the stated climate preferences of hiking tourists. The results are offered within the framework of international research on climate preferences for a range of tourism activities. The comparative analysis of these results with regard to those obtained in previous research highlights various similarities but also certain factors specific to hiking in Spain. Overall, the climate preferences of hiking tourists are similar to those of other segments of the tourism market in terms of the aesthetic and physical aspects of the climate, although they also have certain specific preferences as regards thermal aspects, especially regarding the optimal daily thermal conditions for hiking. The results obtained are useful for assessing the suitability of the climate for the practice of hiking tourism in Spain and for promoting proper management and planning of this leisure activity in tourist destinations, including the development of climate calendars detailing the most suitable times of the year for hiking at these destinations. These issues will be addressed in future research studies.

On the basis of the establishment and analysis of 29 indicators, this article analyses the quality of the climate and meteorological information that is provided to tourists on the websites of the bodies responsible for promoting Spanish tourist destinations at a state and regional level. Official tourism promotion websites are a prominent source of information for tourists, so it is necessary to control the quality levels of the information contained in them. The objective is to detect weaknesses that can be corrected to achieve the improvement of the public service that is offered by these websites. The results indicate that the weather information provided on the institutional websites does not meet the information needs of tourists in the different phases of the travel experience, and as a result contributes little to tactical and strategic decision-making regarding the various activities for tourists, in which the weather or climate are relevant factors. This could make it more difficult for them to interact and integrate with the destination and worsen the quality of their tourist experience.

In Spain, hiking is an activity that involves following paths, which may or may not be signposted, on foot, for sporting and cultural purposes. In the country as a whole, although with important regional variations, hiking has traditionally been linked to mountaineering and rambling clubs. However, at the beginning of the 1990s this activity became much more widely popular, reaching beyond the more limited sphere within which the pioneers of hiking in Spain had acted. Hiking stopped being just a sporting and cultural activity and also became a form of tourism and leisure, coinciding with the emergence and consolidation of what have become known as alternative forms of tourism. In this context of change, hiking tourism has gradually evolved over the years into a strategic option for development in many territories. This article presents the most important aspects of this transformation: the changes in the territorial model for the management of the paths on which the creation of hiking tourism products is based; the fact that in the design of routes more consideration is being given to the differential characteristics of tourist demand for hiking; the adaptation of the accommodation, restaurant facilities and the main specific services associated with it; and the emergence and engagement of new stakeholders in the processes of planning, distribution and communication of this activity.

-although climate is perceived as an essential part of tourism, influencing touristic regional and seasonal distribution patterns, ideal climate conditions for tourism are often assumed, rather than demonstrated. after reviewing the distinct tools that have been applied in order to evaluate climate potential for tourism, as well as tourists' preferences, Besancenots' weather-types method was chosen. this model was adapted and applied to Lisbon, evaluating the suitability of the summer season for tourism activities. the resulting weather type pattern was then crossed with the seasonal tourist demands (visitation statistics), allowing to conclude that even when the weather is categorized as extremely hot (type 7) or unfavourable for tourism (type 8) it does not reflect in the room occupation rates of the city of Lisbon, reinforcing recent advances in tourism climatology, that defy expert based thresholds of thermal preferences and comfort. a reformulation of the weather type model with our findings can be a useful tool for future assessments of tourist potential under projected climate changes.Keywords: tourism and climate, weather-types, climate change, Lisbon, Portugal. têm vindo a ser aplicados para calcular o potencial do clima para o turismo, bem como para avaliar as preferências dos turistas. este método foi adaptado e aplicado a Lisboa, de modo a analisar a aptidão turística da estação estival. O padrão de tipos de tempo resultante desta análise foi, em seguida, cruzado com indicadores de procura turística (estatísticas de ocupação hoteleira), permitindo-nos concluir que, mesmo quando o estado do tempo é categorizado como extremamente quente (tipo de tempo 7) ou desfavorável para o turismo (tipo de tempo 8), não se reflecte de forma negativa nas taxas de ocupação hote leira da cidade de Lisboa. Deste modo, o estudo vem reforçar conclusões recentes de estudos climáticos aplicados ao turismo que têm vindo a contestar os limiares de preferências e conforto térmico anteriormente definidos por peritos. reformulado com as conclusões deste estudo, o modelo de tipos de tempo pode ser uma ferramenta útil para a análise futura do potencial turís tico atendendo às alterações climáticas projectadas.Palavras-chave: turismo e clima, tipos de tempo, alterações climáticas, Lisboa, Portugal.résumé -touriSMe et cliMat à liSBonne. analySe de typeS de teMpS. Bien que le climat soit considéré comme un élément essentiel, à tenir en compte pour les pratiques touristiques et qu'il influence la répartition régionale et saisonnière des touristes, les climats dits favorables sont plus souvent estimés que décrits. On étudie ici la saison d'été à Lisbonne, en lui appliquant le modèle des types de temps distingués par Besancenot, adapt é à Lisbonne. Or, même lors des types de temps 7 (extrêmement chaud) ou 8 (défavorable au tourisme), on n'y constate aucune diminution du taux d'occupation des chambres. Cela donne raison à certains auteurs qui mettent en doute les limites climatiques utilisées pour déterminer la préférence therm...