Quantifying the climatic suitability for tourism in Namibia using the Tourism Climate Index (TCI)

Tourism Climate Indices (TCIs) are the most widely used method to quantify climate suitability for tourism, yet remain more extensively applied in the Global North. Here we apply the TCI to Namibia, a country heavily economically reliant on outdoor tourism. Rising temperatures and changes in relative humidity and precipitation pose threats to nature-based and adventure tourism in Namibia. The mean annual TCI scores for the period 2008-2018 vary from classifications of 'good' for Etosha Safari at 62 to 'excellent' for Windhoek at 80. Monthly scores reveal a bimodal-shoulder and winter peak, indicating that the most suitable climatic conditions for tourism occur during the austral spring, autumn and winter months. This is consistent with the literature regarding peak tourist seasons, and fortuitously aligns with school holidays. The spatial and seasonal quantification of climate resources in Namibia derived from the TCI results can inform sustainable planning for tourism and other economic sectors sensitive to climate.

Automated summary

Tourism Climate Indices (TCIs) are widely used to quantify climate suitability for tourism, with a focus on the Global North. Applying TCI to Namibia reveals threats to nature-based tourism from rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns. The study shows that the most suitable climatic conditions for tourism in Namibia typically occur during the austral spring, autumn, and winter months.