The latest article from Forbes Traveler which locations will be the "Global Warming Winners", that is to say places that have been traditionally colder that will now become paradises as the planet continues to warm-up.
Some of their projected hot spots (pun fully intended!) include the Northwest Passage , which is predicted to become a popular cruise destination, allowing passengers to travel from the Atlantic to the Pacific, or vice versa, for the first time. They also expect Iceland and the Orkney Islands to become more popular destinations with tourists as their climates become more temperate, and the Galapagos and Easter Island may actually see growth in their coral reefs, prompting more divers to visit those areas.
I have a couple of nits to pick with the story. In the case of the Galapagos, you're dealing with a very fragile ecosystem already, so I'm hoping that even if the coral reefs grow to healthy sizes, that visiting the site will remain well regulated. Traffic to the islands are already said to be having an impact, and more would not be good for the critters that live there.
They also mention that the North Pole would become a big destination, as sailing there would now be more of an option. The article mentions that new tourist towns and ports would probably open up to support the thriving tourist trade, but considering that the North Pole is all ice, unlike Antarctica, I'm not sure anyone would be in a hurry to build there.
One thing is for certain though, global climate change is going to effect nearly every place on Earth, including many of the destinations we love. The article does do a decent job of highlighting some of the expected changes, but it seems more of a piece to "tip-off" future luxury travelers of new places to visit, rather than making us think about our impact on those environments.
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