Travel in the Era of Climate Change

The question that makes the Energizer Rabbit look calm. One that I’ve seen too many times to count in recent weeks across my social media channels. A ravenous inquiry that takes over comment sections like a weed pushing through a concrete sidewalk crack: “Should I cancel my trip?” Over and over again. “Should I cancel my trip?” 

This time, the quandary centered on Hawai’i, or more specifically, the Garden Island of Kaua’i, in response to Hurricane Lowell and the damage it caused. Tourists flood social media with this question as natural disasters hit harder and faster than ever before, as we are all living in thrall to climate change. Unfortunately, it’s usually a reasonable question without a completely solid answer. 

It’s a query we’re all likely to face at least once in our lifetimes, especially as the changing climate continues to push back. My own honeymoon to Puerto Rico nearly a decade ago pivoted a few months before we were to travel in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Even a few months later, as the year drew to a close, 45% of the island was still without power. Islands in particular have unique infrastructure vulnerabilities which can turn catastrophic when these disasters happen. 

That is something travelers are likely to forget, even if faced with more common rolling blackouts unrelated to weather. I’ve seen my fair share of visitors yelling at staff in island resorts who hardly control the electrical grid. No one is out to ruin your vacation, Karen. Lost electricity is hardly just a problem for visitors. 

Destructive weather-related scenarios can happen in a moment with effects that last for years, even in places you least expect them. Flash floods have also recently cascaded through the news cycles from Asheville and the Grand Canyon to the recent tragedy in Nepal. On the flip side, droughts are devastating communities. Popular destinations including several Greek islands, Sri Lanka, and Bali are facing water supply crises. Many Puerto Ricans recently had to ration their drinking water. When you’re a traveler, these are the realities you have to live with. They cannot disappear because they’re inconvenient or unpleasant to think about. 

Even in the days after this piece was completed, two more storms popped up on the horizon. Hurricane Polo is tracking to be one of the biggest Pacific Ocean storms ever recorded, while Hurricane Nolo is threatening to hit Hawai’i this weekend. The reality of our world is ever-changing, so too must our journeying through it.  

No corner of the world is immune to the power of Mother Nature, which means any place can be affected. Heck, Chicago may have recently been named the most climate-resilient city on Earth, but that doesn’t stop Illinois from having the second-most tornadoes on record of all time for the U.S. as of this year. Those 200+ tornadoes didn’t care if you had plans to visit the Windy City or see Springfield. 

Whether unpleasant weather patterns or a complete climate crisis, waving goodbye or saying "see you soon” to a trip you’ve been planning is never easy or fun. Whether you planned it for three days or three years, changing course can be difficult. It’s also important for travelers to keep things in perspective. Your adventure being delayed is not anywhere near the crisis of living through a natural disaster. Yet tensions run high when we head to the web for advice from regular people who aren’t the government or a tourism entity. 

Often, locals in the zone of impact will reply to these questions with a quick “absolutely not” while others may say it is okay to visit or travelers should reschedule the trip in the short term. Frequent travelers may offer well-meaning (albeit not always helpful) advice to go anyway and try to help if they can, or outright lambast the question in the first place. Tourism bureaus and local governments are often more forthcoming with more real, concrete answers. Go Hawai’i, for example, currently recommends visitors reschedule or pivot their short-term travel plans to other Hawaiian islands as Kaua’i continues restoration following the recent hurricane. 

From a distance, it could be easy to think that storm cleanup is a quick situation. Nonetheless, the island of Kaua‘i went almost completely dark when 90% of the island lost power in the wake of Hurricane Lowell earlier this month. As of September 12, 24% of the island was still waiting for their power to come back on. By the 20th, nearly the whole island had gotten power back. The last thing a place in recovery needs is more people taking up more resources while the folks who live there are trying to return to normalcy.

What should tourists consider in situations like these? You change direction. You go somewhere else or delay the trip. Delaying the trip for a later date (rather than canceling altogether) is an incredibly positive step because tourist dollars help destinations recover. Money doesn’t grow on trees, but it can sure help replant them.  

It’s okay to be disappointed or grieve the loss of what you expected. I cried as I rescheduled my honeymoon years ago. What’s important is recognizing that a place you visit is someone else’s home and, often, they’re grieving too. Just move forward the best that you can in the meantime. 

It is a privilege to be able to see the world and, especially now that we see the effects of climate change more and more, it is also a privilege to keep ourselves and our fellow humans safe. 

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