The vulnerability of tourism in the municipality of Krško due to climate change

Weather conditions affect human comfort, which makes climate the most crucial aspect of the tourism sector of every region. This particularly applies to  areas, such as Krško, that invite visitors to various open-air events and to sports and recreational activities outdoors. In the future, climate changes across the globe are expected to impact the competitiveness of destinations and cause significant changes in tourism flows. For the time being, the vulnerability of tourism in the municipality of Krško due to climate change is moderate, but it will continue to intensify in the future due to global warming and changes in precipitation patterns.

Since the 1960s, the area’s climate has warmed by 1.8°C, the annual rainfall has decreased by almost 10%, and the amount of freshly fallen snow has halved. The warming trend will continue in the future. In the middle of the century, the average air temperature might even be 1.7°C higher than it is today. The number of hot summer days with a temperature above 30°C will continue to rise, with more frequent, stronger and longer-lasting heat waves.

The area of the municipality of Krško has already warmed up in  recent decades, and the warming trend will continue in the future. 

Summer heat will make tourist activities outdoors increasingly unpleasant, particularly in the urban environment. The area will be faced with the need to provide  summer tourist services that will be less sensitive to summer heat. This may refer to the upgraded offer of cultural tourism in closed spaces and the utilisation of the untapped potential of natural swimming spots and the development of tourism in the countryside, where heat is less unpleasant than in the city.



Summer heat is the most important vulnerability factor of the Krško tourism industry due to climate change.

Increasingly hotter summers will contribute towards greater heat stress at the workplace for tourism workers. This will increase the need for thermal insulation and air conditioning of buildings (tourist accommodation facilities, museums, catering establishments, etc.), which will result in higher costs of tourism providers.

In the following decades, other seasons in the region will be warmer as well. Warmer springs and autumns will reduce the feeling of coldness during outdoor activities, so the warming of the region in spring and autumn may increase its appeal. However, the conditions for winter activities outdoors will not significantly improve in the area, with snowfall events increasingly shifting to rainfall events. Higher winter temperatures will also continue the trend of shorter heating seasons, which will reduce the costs of tourism providers for heating buildings.



Climate changes will result in challenges but also in new opportunities for tourism in the municipality of Krško.

Increased temperatures and changed precipitation patterns will impact nature in the region, which is an invaluable development resource for tourism. It may affect the biodiversity and the condition of forests, which cover 43% of the area of the municipality. Climate change will impact  agricultural production and thereby the gastronomic offer based on local products. Changed climatic conditions may endanger the production or quality of local vine varieties and other traditional agricultural products.



Timely climate change adaptation is an important factor of the long-term competitiveness of the Krško tourist industry.

With prudent adaptation, the region may reduce its sensitivity to climate change and also utilise its positive effects. The area will be urged to develop an offer that will be less sensitive to summer heat, and it should also direct marketing at attracting more visitors who can go on vacation off-season and thereby make use of warmer springs and autumns. For successful adaptation to climate change, it is important that all tourist providers and the whole local community are well acquainted with the expected climate changes and their consequences in the local environment. This will enable them to  carry out the measures aimed at the rational use of energy and water and at self-supply of energy from renewable sources. The region may also reduce its vulnerability with various infrastructural measures, such as by increasing green spaces in the city of Krško, installing water fountains and planting vegetation, which will provide shade in exposed areas. In order to ensure the safety of people and assets in the region regarding more frequent extreme weather events, it is necessary to establish a system for monitoring the condition of the environment and to provide early notifications to all stakeholders in the tourism sector – providers, visitors and the local community.