Image credits - AFP/Roslan Rahman
Singapore, long regarded as a leading tourist destination, may see a decrease in its attractiveness due to the anticipated impacts of climate change, according to experts. The recent findings from the National Climate Change Study have raised concerns about the possible consequences of a warmer and wetter climate on Singapore’s appeal to tourists.
Projections from the study showed that Singapore is poised to face progressively hotter days, with temperatures reaching levels that could be less favourable for outdoor activities. Additionally, the study suggests an increase in the frequency and duration of dry spells.
Perhaps most significantly, experts also predict a rise in extreme rainfall events, heightening the risk of disrupting outdoor attractions. All these concerning climatic changes can discourage tourists from visiting Singapore, say analysts. The Campus dean of James Cook University Singapore, Professor Abhishek Bhati, said, “If the temperature increases, but at the same time it is more humid…(at some point) it becomes quite impossible for people to stay outside in the sun and this makes movement more restricted.”
The impact of climate change on Singapore’s tourism sector is a critical concern. Earlier this month, a study by the Center of Climatic Research Singapore, said that the mean temperature of the nation could rise by almost 0.6 to 5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century. It depends upon the carbon emission rate of the world. Hot days during which the maximum temperature exceeds 35 degrees Celsius will become quite frequent, affecting tourism greatly.
The study also warned about the inevitable rising tides. By the year 2100, the projection is expected to increase between 0.23m to 1.15m in the mean sea level, affecting the flora and fauna. Regarding the rise in sea level, Professor Bhati said, “Rising sea levels will reduce the shelf and the beach space which is available for people. If our beaches are no longer attractive, then they become a limited benefit for tourists.” Rising climatic concerns will affect everything and everyone all in all.
Professor Bhati also mentions that whatever happens to the climate, will eventually impact everyone’s daily life as well as the tourists who come to Singapore. He also said, “Those who can manage global warming or these climate changes more effectively are going to be the tourist attractions that will be more resilient in the future.”