Choice Review
Climate change is arguably the most significant global environmental issue of this century. Among its wide-ranging impacts are the effects on the character and quality of tourism resources. Hall and Higham (Univ. of Otago, New Zealand) provide a timely assessment of the state of knowledge on this topic by bringing together leading researchers from 11 countries and such diverse disciplines as tourism/recreation, geography, economics, climatology, and environmental sciences. The 21 chapters contain a balanced discussion of the key issues and challenges; the role of tourism to climate change; the evolution of tourism-climate research; methodologies for assessing climate change impacts on tourism resources and demands; adaptation strategies; and future outlooks. Case studies are provided for North America, Southern Africa, Oceania, the Swiss Alps, and Scotland. Most chapters include references to online resources that will be very useful to readers. A glossary of terms would have been a worthwhile addition for readers unfamiliar with the topic. Nevertheless, this book is a significant contribution to the literature and will be a key reference for tourism researchers, policy makers, and practitioners. It is suitable for graduate-level and possibly senior-level undergraduate courses. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduate through professional collections. Y.-F. Leung North Carolina State University