Weather, Climate and ENvironmental information for Tourism

The proposed research aims to fill a niche in the weather/climate/environment information tailored to the usual touristinterests, in the same time reaching beyond the conventional exploitation paths of Earth Observation data.

The proposaladdresses several challenges identified by EU policy in tourism - economic competitiveness, technological challenges,markets and competition – and focuses on the development of innovative environmental products for the tourism sector,including a framework for their free/commercial delivery.

The specific research objectives, each leading to a novel result, areas follows: (1) quantify user interests related to environmental features for 4 destination types (novelty: basis fordevelopment of a new index for rural areas); (2) select and shape relevant climate and environmental information based onsite-, season- and leisure activity specifics (novelty: fine-tuned, individualized information); (3) translate EO data into friendlyto-use information (novelty: EO products adapted for tourism); (4) deliver it to the user in a compact and timely manner(novelty: user-fitted communication form).

The research work toward these objectives will involve literature reviews,questionnaires, processing climate data into specific tourism and bio-meteorological indices, processing and ‘packing’ ofsatellite products employing a user-oriented formulation, as well as a strong component on stakeholders involvement.

Atcareer level, the work will allow to build a unique scientific expertise comprising interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral researchcapabilities and transferable aptitudes, to be further exploited through existing and new collaboration projects and networks.The scientific results will lead to development of innovative downstream integrated information addressing tourism actors,new directions for innovative applications of satellite-based information in the day-to-day life, knowledge conversion intoproducts and services.