The influence of climate change on tourism demand in Taiwan national parks

This study investigated the impact of climate change on tourism demand in the national parks of Taiwan. The results show that the climate has a significant influence on the number of tourists, with rainfall having a more significant influence than temperature. Therefore, managers of the national parks should monitor rainfall variation caused by climate change. The economy overall also has a clear influence over the number of visitors to national parks, but attendance at different national parks responds very differently to the overall economic environment. To accurately predict the number of visitors and assess their impact on park facilities and ecological environments, the influence of climate change on the number of visitors and the influence of the overall economy on park tourism activities must be understood. Changes in management in response to economic changes will increase the flexibility of the national park system in responding to climate change. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.