Climate change has caused many changes in various economic sectors; the tourism industry being one of the main ones.
The recent surge in conversations about the role, risks and opportunities of Artificial intelligence (AI), is worth applauding.
The AI conversation has been embraced by all and sundry, and every economic, social, or political dialogue has AI as one of its themes.
The official UNWTO theme for 2026 is “Digital Agenda and AI to Redesign Tourism.” World Tourism Day 2026, observed on 27 September and focuses on how digital transformation and AI can reshape the tourism sector by enhancing decision-making, improving visitor experiences, and promoting sustainability and inclusivity.
AI offers real benefits to tourism, but it also carries significant risks.
For example, AI can track icebergs faster than humans and optimize renewable energy grids in real time – capabilities that could help us fight climate change.
But it also consumes incredible amounts of energy, and ever more of it, creating a whole new level of climate pollution that threatens to undermine those benefits. Given AI’s complex environmental footprint, it is easy to focus only on the costs.
But there is another side to this story: AI can also be a tool for tackling climate change itself. Some of these climate-focused tools are already making headway on multiple fronts.
The theme emphasizes the role of AI in personalizing travel, optimizing operations, supporting small businesses, and creating new opportunities while ensuring that technology benefits communities and destinations rather than concentrating tourism in a few locations.
Equally, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has been working to raise awareness on climate change issues in the tourism sector and highlighted the obligation of the tourism industry to reduce their GHG emissions and recognised the two-way relationship between tourism and climate change.
Climate significantly shapes tourism in South Africa by affecting destination attractiveness, seasonal visitation patterns, and the viability of nature-based and urban tourism, while climate change poses long-term risks to tourism demand and economic sustainability.
The South African National Climate Change Response Policy identified tourism as one of the sectors economically vulnerable to measures taken both internationally and nationally, to reduce GHG emissions.
The increase in extreme events and sea-level rise can damage tourism infrastructure and increase insurance costs.
Other impacts included changes in animal behaviour with increasing transformation of ecosystems and water security threats.
Increases in storm surges, beach erosion and sea-level rise along coastlines are also tourist deterrents.
Niche tourism, such as golf and wine tours (a key feature of the SA tourism sector), are particularly sensitive to the effects of erratic rainfall events and insufficient water supply.
Nature-based tourism, including visits to national parks, is extremely sensitive to climate. Studies of South Africa’s 19 national parks show that occupancy rates are intricately linked to mean monthly temperatures, with projected climate changes potentially reducing visitation by 4% by 2050, particularly in high-traffic parks like Kruger National Park.
Today, the Kruger National Park is counting the cost after devastating floods caused widespread damage in January this year.
The cost of repairs to infrastructure damaged by floods is estimated to reach R950 million, and killed 40 people, prompting urgent calls for both national and international assistance.
Urban tourism is influenced by temperature, precipitation, and extreme weather events, which affect the timing of peak visitation, length of stay, and the range of activities available. Similarly coastal destinations are particularly sensitive to heat stress, storms, and rainfall patterns, which can alter beach tourism and water-based recreational activities.
Long-term climate change poses risks to South African tourism by altering the geographic and seasonal distribution of attractions, reducing comfort levels, and increasing the frequency of extreme weather events.
The impact on infrastructure and the environment has a knock-on effect, felt most in the economies and communities whose main source of income is based on tourism. Climate change impacts the length and quality of tourism seasons and influences the environmental conditions (spread of disease, lack of water, extreme weather events, reduced biodiversity, inter alia) that both attract and deter visitors.
In summary, climate influences tourism in South Africa by determining destination attractiveness, seasonal visitation, and activity feasibility, while climate change introduces risks that could reduce visitor numbers, affect revenues, and challenge conservation efforts.
As we mark World Tourism Day as one of the defining transformational agenda of human development and economic growth, we need to remain true to our commitment and ensure the integration of technology and human-centred strategies to create smarter, more resilient, and inclusive tourism systems and encourages stakeholders to rethink tourism in a way that balances innovation with cultural preservation, economic growth, and environmental sustainability.
Blessing Manale- Executive Manager, Communications, Consensus Building and Outreach, Presidential Climate Commission.
**The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Media Group.