The topic addressed the growing need for awareness and understanding of changing tourism demand, particularly in the context of climate change, and how this awareness underpins the twin transition. Drawing on the monthly article “Sustainable Tourism – Adapting the Climate-Induced Holiday Trends”, the webinar “Changing demand in European tourism: influence and opportunity”, along with the online discussion “Addressing changing holiday patterns due to climate change” in October 2024, the objective was to explore how demand is evolving and how tourism stakeholders can respond strategically and sustainably. 

Key themes included:

• Understanding climate-driven demand changes, such as seasonality shifts and destination substitution
• Raising awareness among destinations, business, and tourists about emerging demand patterns 
• The role of digital tools and data in analysing demand and supporting emerging demand patterns
• Linking awareness of demand change to sustainability and climate adaptation objectives

The initiatives showcased illustrate practical experiences and reflections that reinforce awareness of changing tourism demand: 

• ETC report on climate challenges and future tourism in Europe, ETC: an analysis on the effects of climate change, including heatwaves, wildfire, and floods, impacting tourism and travel patterns.  
• “Visit Portugal. It’s not tourism. It’s futurism” campaign, Turismo de Portugal: The campaign presents 12 commitments to encourage action and inspire people to take an active role in the changes being made to tourism, both in Portugal and around the world.
• VisitScotland, Tourism Cares: promoted responsible tourism experiences in Scotland. Key private and public partners collaborated to protect and preserve the natural and cultural assets of Scotland. 
• Dalmatian Food and Wine Tour, Adriatic DMC: initiative which aims to promote sustainability in the touristic food experiences. 
• Rick Steve’s Europe: creating meaningful travel experiences that connect travellers with local cultures, stressing the importance of diversifying products to spread tourism throughout the year and across different activities. 

Stakeholder stories highlight ongoing efforts to understand demand changes and promote sustainable tourism and travel based on evolving demand patterns.

Key conclusions and emerging trends include: 

• Tourism demand across Europe is already changing: Climate change is influencing when and where people travel, affecting seasonality, destination attractiveness, and traditional tourism models. 
• Awareness is a critical foundation for action: Understanding demand shifts is a prerequisite for effective adaptation and for aligning green and digital transition efforts in tourism. 
• Destinations are encouraged to move from passive response to active influence of demand through communication, narrative-building, and promotion of more sustainable travel choices. 
• Diversification of tourism offers is a recurring response to reduce dependency on climate-vulnerable peak seasons. 
• Digital tools support awareness and strategic decision-making: While not an end in themselves, digital solutions and data are highlighted as enablers for understanding demand trends and supporting sustainable tourism strategies.