Search

Outdoor tourism and recreational activities strongly depend on actual meteorological conditions. Traditionally, in three studied regions, the peak of tourists' streams concentrates in summer months. In the present study, we assess suitability of weather conditions for various forms of outdoor tourism in different regions of Serbia, Poland and Ukraine. Additionally, how the location of the station differentiates temporal patterns of weather suitability will be discussed. To analyse the suitability of weather conditions for various forms of outdoor recreation, we have chosen 23 meteorological stations of the national weather networks which represent different tourism areas and destinations. For each weather station, daily data for the period 2000-2017 of air temperature, relative humidity, total cloud cover and wind speed (at 10 m above ground) for 12 UTC as well as the daily maximum and minimum temperature, precipitation totals and snow cover depth were applied. Suitability of climate for outdoor recreation and tourism is assessed by the Weather Suitability Index (WSI) based on Błażejczyk's bio-thermal weather classification. The results of research show that passive forms of recreation (sun and air bathing) are preferred mostly in months from May till August or September. For the active forms of recreation, weather in summer months is very oppressive, especially in the resorts located in the south (Serbia, southern Ukraine). Active forms of recreation are preferred there in autumn, winter and spring months., (© 2020. The Author(s).)

Competing Interests: None.

This investigation is an endeavor to propose an innovative indicator in order to eliminate the restrictions of similar indices. The Outdoor Tourism Climate Index (OTCI) elucidates whether or not the combination of different climatic elements, their compatibility with the climate at the travel origin, and the tourist's purpose of traveling is desirable for outdoor tourists, nature-based tourists, and the other tourists who undertake some activities in the open areas. OTCI was calculated for the outdoor tourists traveling from three different travel origins in Iran, including Tabriz, Shiraz, and Bandar Lengeh, to Bandar Abbas. The findings illuminated further accuracy and closeness to the reality of OTCI rather than Tourism Climate Index (TCI). Furthermore, as far as traveling to Bandar Abbas was concerned, the OTCI score of tourists from Bandar Lengeh (with similar climatic conditions to those at Bandar Abbas) was recognized to be higher than those from Shiraz and Tabriz (with more different climatic conditions).