Nature-based tourism and climate favourability: a case of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

ABSTRACT

Nature-based tourism at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia is a salient contributor to the national economy. Nature-based tourism involves travel to a destination dependent on the natural environment for recreation. Nature-based tourism is influenced by weather, climate, and over the span of decades, climate change. However, there is a salient knowledge gap where the interrelations between climate and tourism at the Great Barrier Reef remain understudied. Accordingly, this study present the case of the Great Barrier Reef to investigate (1) climate favourability, (2) changes to long-term weather (i.e. climate) as a process of climate change, (3) interrelations between climate and travel decisions, and (4) the value of climate favourabiltiy to tourism performance. Weather favourability is calculated using the Holiday Climate Index (HCI), and the dependent variable is airport arrivals (i.e. a travel decision). Results demonstrate (1) 96.3% of the months had ‘good’ to ‘ideal’ weather favourability, (2) annual HCI improved towards ‘ideal’ as a process of climate change (1984–2021), (3) past tourism participation and climate were predictive of travel decisions dependent on meteorological season, and (4) the value of climate favourability in the summer and spring seasons.

KEYWORDS:

• Nature-based tourism
• marine tourism
• HCI
• climate change
• climate

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Christopher A. Craig

Christopher A. Craig is the Tom W. Hutchins Endowed Professor at Murray State University’s Arthur J. Bauenerfeind College of Business. He holds an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Environmental Dynamics from the University of Arkansas. His research explores the complex interactions between the natural environment (inclusive climate change), organizations, and society more broadly. Additionally, he is the Editor-In-Chief of the Case Journal, a journal dedicated to publishing academically rigorous teaching case studies across an array of disciplines.