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The continuous increase in greenhouse gas emissions in addition to other anthropogenic pressures on the environment related to the territory (e.g. extensive deforestation and urbanization) have led to important changes in climatic parameters, such as the increase in global surface temperature and fluctuations in precipitation levels. The response to climate change manifestations as well as the severity of the phenomena vary among different regions, leading to the creation of climate change hotspots. The Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME) region is considered among these hotspots due to increasing trends in mean temperature and temporal variability of its meteorological features as well as dependency on the tourism sector (Scott et al., 2019). According to relative projections, the temperature trends (mean temperature and summer peaks) in the region will continue to intensify throughout the 21st century leading to extreme weather events, such as heatwaves and severe prolonged droughts. The frequency, duration and magnitude of these events are expected to increase with severe impacts on society, the environment and economic activity in the region. In addition, increasing population growth and urbanization rates are expected to intensify competition over the local natural resources, thus leading to expansion and worsening of environmental issues and social inequalities. Additional risks are expectedfor tourism from potential sea level rise impacts due to climate change, affecting the majority of typicalregional tourist assets, the beaches, but also coastal tourism-related development, as well as natural risks,such as flooding and forest fires (Olya & Alipour, 2015).

This document presents an overview of key issues related to tourism and tourism development in theregion, highlighting that tourism as a multi-sectoral activity, is affected by and affects climate change inmultiple ways. Therefore, there is a need for a complex approach to climate change adaptation andmitigation from supporting basic resources (water, energy, soil) to key tourism assets (beaches, naturaland cultural heritage) and tourist destinations (in terms of spatial planning and management) (Jopp et al.,2010; Scott et al., 2012).

The purpose of the report is to provide a scientifically based set of recommendations for regional action.Furthermore, we aim at identifying particularities in the region and create opportunities to showcaseexperiences and good practices in the context of EMME-CCI.