Assessment of bioclimatic conditions in cities for tourism and recreational purposes (a Warsaw case study)

Abstract

The assessment of biometeorological conditions for tourism and recreational purposes is usually based around fundamental meteorological data, climate-tourism indices or biometeorological indices. Specific methods for investigating the sensible climate in the context of urban tourism had not been devised hitherto, but the present paper offers results of an assessment of the bioclimate of the Polish capital city, Warsaw, from the point of view of tourism and recreation, using the UTCI and PET indices. Values for these indices are then compared with thermal sensation votes cast by tourists in the course of leisure activities in Warsaw's Old Town area. This validation revealed that, while weather perception does not only depend on meteorological factors, usage of UTCI is an appropriate approach to the study of the bioclimate of urban areas for tourism and recreation purposes. © Katarzyna Lindner-Cendrowska.