Climate change adaptation drivers and barriers for small and medium-sized tourism organizations in Quebec

This project analyzes the practices, obstacles and drivers for climate change adaptation by Quebec’s small and medium-sized tourism enterprises (SMEs) depending on their sector, region, and level of need. The results will be used in the design of a resource that will support reflection by offering avenues for climate change adaptation that are suited to the specific profiles of organizations.

Project details

Scientific program

Programmation 2020-2028

Theme(s) and priority(s)

Economy

Start and duration

Mai 2026 • Octobre 2027

Project Status

Starting

Principal(s) investigator(s)

François Labelle

Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières

Context

The tourism industry is one of the economic sectors with the greatest vulnerability to climate change. In Quebec, this vulnerability is reinforced by the predominance of SMEs, some of them non-profit, which provide the bulk of the tourism offering. Although climate change adaptation measures are essential in order for these activities and their economic performance to continue, engagement on the part of SMEs remains limited. The project’s aim is to understand this gap between the urgency to act and the lack of implementation of adaptation practices, by means of a multi-level perspective analyzing the influence of factors arising from institutions, business ecosystems, organizations and individuals.

Objective(s)

To profile the climate change adaptation practices and needs that are specific to Quebec tourism SMEs, by sub-sector
To identify factors that encourage and discourage climate change adaptation, operating at different levels of influence, based on the profiles established
To develop a decision support resource keyed to the identified profiles in order to support climate change adaptation efforts by SMEs

Methodology

This project uses a mixed methodological approach combining qualitative and quantitative methods:

Development and validation of a typology of tourism SMEs, based on sub-sectors, sub-groups and levels of need in terms of climate change adaptation, drawing from the scientific literature and consultations with experts
Construction of a multi-level analytical framework to consider factors arising from institutions, business ecosystems, organizations and individuals which influence climate change adaptation
Development of a questionnaire and survey of 250 to 400 Quebec tourism SMEs
Data analysis using statistical and configurational methods to identify the levels of practices and adaptation trajectories
Design, validation and dissemination of a resource to aid in reflection, accompanied by a summary report and knowledge transfer activities

Expected results

Development of a typology of profiles for tourism SMEs
Identification and prioritization of climate change adaptation practices by profile
Multi-level analysis of the drivers and barriers for climate change adaptation
Development and validation of a transferable resource to aid in reflection

Benefits for adaptation

Retombées pour l'adaptation

Bolstering of the climate change adaptation capacity of Quebec’s tourism industry through practices that are better suited to the realities of SMEs

Improved understanding of the barriers and drivers of adaptation action so that the conditions that are conducive to the adoption of adaptation strategies can be identified for each organizational profile