Mapping tourism stakeholders’ weather and climate information systems in Fiji and the emerging concept of climate literacy — YRD

Mapping tourism stakeholders’ weather and climate information systems in Fiji and the emerging concept of climate literacy (2970)

Johanna Nalau 1 2 3 , Susanne Becken 1 3 , Steve Noakes 1 3 , Brendan Mackey 1 2
  1. Griffith University, Southport, QUEENSLAND, Australia
  2. Griffith Climate Change Response Program , Griffith University , Southport
  3. Griffith Institute for Tourism , Griffith University, Southport

Tourism is inherently dependent on the weather and climate and the sustainability and resilience of tourism is greatly enhanced by providing tailored climate services to tourism sector stakeholders. In particular, climate services need to integrate standard weather forecasts, with early warning systems, seasonal forecasts and long term projections of climatic changes - based on both scientific and traditional/local knowledge in order to meet the information needs of the sector. Recognizing the climatic vulnerability of tourism in small island states and marine environments, this research collected information on the weather and climate information systems of tourism stakeholders in Fiji. A total of 20 interviews were undertaken with public and private sector operators and providers of climate services in Fiji. The results show a variety of weather and climate information systems in use, which differ between stakeholders depending on users’ lifeworld including professional responsibility, level of climate literacy, and information and digital competency. Understanding these diverse weather and climate information systems is necessary in order to better target different stakeholder groups within the tourism sector and their needs for climate services. Especially in the context of small island developing states (SIDS), more focus needs to be on the inclusion of traditional, local and scientific knowledge as information sources for climate change adaptation.