Located on Sicily\u2019s southwest coast, Agrigento is home to a prominent Greek monument\u2014Valley of the Temples\u2014and the cliffs of Scala dei Turchi, which attract scores of visitors every year. But now, the region no longer has room for tourists as a water shortage looms.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The ancient underground aqueducts in the city have stood the test of time<\/a>. However, they\u2019re now dry.\u00a0<\/p>\n That\u2019s forced locals to slash water consumption by as much as 45% for about 1 million people, CNN <\/em>reported<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n It also means that hotels and guesthouses in Agrigento are refusing tourists as they grapple with the effects of a severe drought that\u2019s also threatening to dry up Sicily\u2019s only natural lake<\/a>, Lake Pergusa.<\/p>\n If tourists still make the trip to Agrigento, they\u2019ll probably encounter filters on their showers and sinks installed by bed and breakfast (B&B) establishments as a way to save water.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cToday\u2019s problem is the result of a failed water management policy that has been going on for 20 years,\u201d said Francesco Picarella, who heads Agrigento\u2019s Hotel Federation, told CNN<\/em>. \u201cThe hotels that have their own reserves somehow compensate; the B&Bs in the historic center are in extreme difficulty.\u201d<\/p>\n Agrigento\u2019s crisis has made water a precious commodity<\/a> that even locals struggle to access. Tourism has historically been a key driver for the region. But the twin forces of an uptick in interest amid water scarcity have left Sicilian cities dwelling on managing an inflow of visitors.\u00a0<\/p>\n While climate change is an overarching phenomenon, some factors impacting Italy are unique. It is more vulnerable<\/a> to hydrogeological risk, which impacts how its rainwater reaches the ground and fills aquifers. Italy still leans on its agri-food system to fuel about 15%<\/a> of its GDP, which also stands to lose the most from extreme weather conditions.\u00a0<\/p>\n Even across Italy, there\u2019s a disparity in how regions are impacted\u2014with the likes of Sardinia and Sicily among the most vulnerable.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sicily has been at the center of climate change-related developments, having faced record-high heat in 2021. A key region for olive and citrus fruit agriculture, the water shortage has hurt its local economy just as it has impacted tourism. Elsewhere in Italy, drier weather has meant little snow<\/a> and an ever-shrinking window to ski in the winter.\u00a0 Nicolas Economou\u2014NurPhoto\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The unfortunate reality is that Italy has company across Europe. Greek islands like Naxos also face climate change<\/a> that dries up lakes and reservoirs, complicates irrigation, and threatens tourism.\u00a0<\/p>\n That coincides with the peak summer season when visitors eagerly flock to the country to soak up some Greek sun\u2014something local authorities<\/a> are trying hard to limit.\u00a0<\/p>\n Parts of Spain also see a similar trend, with locals and tourists tussling over water use. Hotels are capping water usage to 100 liters<\/a> per bed a day in response to the scarcity, while residents are trying to balance water consumption with sustaining their livelihood tied to agriculture.\u00a0<\/p>\n With a complex web of climate and travel trends afoot, one thing is clear\u2014how tourism has been done all these years is not sustainable. So, how governments and businesses alter their approach with a mix of new policies and creativity could determine how people experience Europe\u2019s most loved tourist destinations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nThe unique case of Italy<\/h2>\n
Italy\u2019s situation has real economic consequences, and it could continue getting dire. According to a G20 report<\/a>, the frequency of droughts could rise 35% by 2050 and result in a 3.7% loss in GDP. The country\u2019s central bank recognized the risk that Italy faces in a 2022 study<\/a> in the coming decades.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Crowds](\"https:\/\/fortune.com\/img-assets\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/GettyImages-2154478072-e1720536198607.jpg?w=1440&q=75\"\/)
<\/p>\nItaly\u2019s climate misery has company<\/h2>\n