The Impact of Temperature Changes on Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province's Seasonal Tourism Industry

This study empirically analyzes the impact of recent temperature changes in South Korea on the tourism industry. Specifically, it examines how fluctuations in temperature influence visitor numbers at winter sports facilities (such as ski resorts) and summer destinations (such as beaches). The analysis focuses on Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, which features both types of tourist attractions. The analysis revealed that for winter sports facilities like ski resorts, a 0.1캜 increase in average temperature led to a statistically significant 1.6% decrease in visitor numbers. Conversely, for beaches, a representative summer tourism destination, the number of days in a month with daily maximum temperatures exceeding 25캜 was identified as a key factor affecting visitor numbers. When the number of days with a daily maximum temperature exceeding 25캜 increases by one, the number of beach visitors is estimated to statistically and significantly increase by 10.4%.