New initiative will provide popular cities around the world with climate risk profiles for travel & tourism, and strategies to build more resilient visitor economies.

At New York Climate Week, the Travel Foundation and a coalition of international partners launched the next phase of their global initiative, Destination Climate RiskScan, designed to help destinations future-proof their tourism activities against the growing impacts of climate change.

This new phase puts cities in the spotlight, inviting urban Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) and city authorities worldwide to take part. Participating cities will each receive a tailored risk assessment outlining how future climate threats—such as extreme heat, water shortages and wildfires—may affect their visitor economy. They will also receive strategic guidance on how to develop tourism and business travel in ways that protect destination assets, sustain visitor demand and support climate-ready business operations.

The announcement was made as part of a New York Climate Week event, convened by FINN Partners and the Travel Foundation, which brought together hospitality and tourism leaders to explore how cities are adapting to climate pressures and how hospitality can lead with resilience. During discussions, it was noted that cities account for about half of all international trips (Tourism Economics 2019), while nearly 1,000 cities could face regular extreme heat by 2050 (C40 Cities, 2018).

"The time has come to treat climate risk as core business for tourism," said Jeremy Sampson, CEO of the Travel Foundation. "This new initiative will provide the tools and insights cities need to plan with foresight, respond with agility, and build tourism economies that can thrive in an era of climate uncertainty. We're calling on city destination leaders to join us and help shape a more resilient future."

The project brings together a team of leading organisations from across travel, resilience, placemaking and workforce development:

• The Travel Foundation, an international sustainable tourism NGO that is leading climate action in tourism.
• CELTH and its academic partners, Breda University of Applied Sciences and NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, applying their "Destination Climate RiskScan" methodology.
• Risklayer, specialists in risk and resilience science.
• Resonance, experts in data-led placemaking and urban strategy.
• FINN Partners, a global marketing and communications agency promoting meaningful sustainability leadership.
• Tourism HR Canada working to build a more resilient tourism workforce.

As part of the announcement, Resonance is offering three £5,000 Climate Action Grants to subsidize project costs for up to three city destinations. All participating destinations will also benefit from in-kind support provided by Resonance and other project partners, including pro bono services and discounted rates. This means the overall value of taking part is significantly greater than the cost of participation.

"City destinations need clear data and practical strategies to respond to the growing impacts of climate change," said Chris Fair, President and CEO of Resonance. "That's why we're offering the Climate Action Grant to subsidize participation for three cities, and providing hands-on support. We're putting in place a simple application process so interested cities can put themselves forward. We hope this work will catalyze new thinking and action around climate resilience in urban tourism."

To find out more and to register your interest in participating.