Implications of Climate Change on Outdoor Recreation: The Case of National Parks in Israel

Changing weather driven by climate change may influence tourists’ decisions about “when and where to go for vacation.” Indeed, the results of climate change have altered the attractiveness of a variety of destinations and locations, therefore changing the profitability of tourism-based businesses. The aim of the study was to evaluate the potential impact of climate change on visits to outdoor recreation sites. Specifically, the research assessed the impact of weather, as well as economic and other characteristics, on the number of domestic and international tourists visiting national parks located in different climate zones within a single country—Israel. This research was based on a unique database of actual daily visits by international and domestic tourists to national parks in Israel during a six-year period (2012–2017). Each national park has different accessibility characteristics and offers different attractions. The climate data included daily maximum temperature, rain, extreme weather, as well as temperature indices measuring heat and cold. The results of the econometric analysis showed that weather-related parameters have a statistically significant effect on national park visits among both domestic and international tourists, while the magnitude of the effect varies by park and visitors’ place of origin.