Urban Development and Climate Change: Implications for Educational Tourism Destination Planning

Abstract

Global warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions, transportation, and the transformation of land use caused by population growth is a critical problem that requires immediate and urgent interventions, especially in popular tourism destinations where the impact on quality of life is intense. In recent years, while new urban developments have been carried out for higher education institutions, less attention has been paid to the environmental implications of such expansions. Surprisingly, despite a growing interest in climate change action in educational institutions, little is known about the link between Land Surface Temperature (LST) variability and Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI) of university campuses and their host communities. To fill the gaps mentioned earlier, this study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the spatial and temporal variability of the SUHI and the LST within a university campus and its surrounding urban environment. Using Sentinel 3 images and the TsHARP algorithm, the LST was determined, the SUHI was calculated, and the hot spots were obtained in an educational tourism hub; Famagusta, Cyprus. The Panel Data and ANOVA techniques were used for the subsequent analysis of the findings. Findings indicated that due to its low-rise buildings and large green areas, the studied campus not only had little contribution to the creation of SUHI but even minimized its effects on the urban areas attached to it. These findings provide valuable implications for authorities in standardizing criteria for future university establishments.