Holidays cancelled! Venice, Maldives and Alps at risk due to climate change

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While the holiday season is upon us, millions of Britons will for the second year running miss out on a chance to soak up the sun in a foreign land. Complications due to the coronavirus pandemic have made for another confusing time, with people still required to self-isolate on arriving in a number of countries, and vice versa, the traffic light-coloured list forever changing. Many have given up all hope of a holiday abroad in 2021, instead opting for one of a number of ‘staycations’ in spots of natural beauty in the UK, as well as any of Britain’s beautiful cities.

With the onset of the mass global vaccinations, those in the holiday business are confident that things will return to normal next year.

Yet, looking to the future, things could take a turn for the worse.

Climate change is wreaking havoc on the Earth, with scientific warnings about rising temperatures and sea levels in serious abundance.

Bush and forest fires have raged in Australia, the US, and more recently, Greece – the result of incremental yet steady rises in temperatures year-on-year.

Even the UK experienced its own short-lived heatwave, helping the country to its joint fifth warmest July on record, according to the Met Office.

Now, many popular tourist destinations around the world face uncertainty in the long-term.

Venice

The northern Italian city has captured countless hearts and imaginations throughout the years.

But, as sea levels rise, Venice inches toward inundation.

In 2019, the city suffered its worst flooding since 1966.

The tide rose to 187cm, submerging over 80 percent area.

Ground floor houses were devastated, restaurants and kitchens destroyed, with ancient monuments damaged beyond repair.

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The Maldives

One of the higher brow destinations, the Maldives has in recent years seen an influx of British tourists.

The country reported a 10.2 percent year-in-year increase in arrivals from the UK in 2018.

Yet, those hopeful of any future visit to the island may want to revise their plans.

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The lowest-lying country in the world – sitting at an average of only 1.3 meters above sea level – the Maldives is at risk from constant and prolonged flooding.

Its lands could vanish entirely as climbing tides have already displaced locals.

In 2019, during UN climate talks, officials from the country pleaded for infrastructure funding, warning that a lack of action could soon lead to full islands swallowed by rising waters.

The Alps

The European mountain range spans eight countries and is one of the most popular tourist attractions on the continent.

Described by Condé Nast Traveller as the “Shangri-La for skiers”, around 120 million people from around the world flock to the snow dusted hills every year.

Yet, with increasing temperatures, significant snow melt continues to shorten the season for winter sports.

In 2017, the season was 38 days shorter than it was in 1960, according to Time Magazine.

Even more unsettling, scientists predict that by the end of the century, revellers will have to climb up to the 10,000-foot mark to see any sign of snow.

Many resorts have already started to make the transition away from winter sports, now offering spa treatments and outdoor activities like horseback riding or tennis.

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