Climate change adaptation in the tourism sector in Lower Saxony

Climate change is already affecting the tourism sector in Lower Saxony and complex interactions influence the touristic demand. Therefore, the TourismusMarketing Niedersachsen GmbH (TMN) intended to support Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) in dealing with current and future changes.

During the project, a consortium consisting of Fresh Thoughts, adelphi, NIT, and dwif analysed past, present, and projected future climatic changes including extreme weather events, and assessed the possible impact on tourism destinations in Lower Saxony. This also included the analysis of socio-economic conditions regarding climate change and environmental awareness among tourists in the relevant countries of origin. Building on these findings, the vulnerability assessment was carried out and the adaptive capacity was differentiated for each of the touristic subregions. The development of adaptation measures to mitigate risks and exploit opportunities formed the last step.

Providing practical assistance in adaptation processes was the main goal of the project. Hence, stakeholder engagement played an important role in ensuring the relevance of the project outcomes.