Аннотация:One of the principal features of climate is its spatial variability. Long
distance travels are an essential part of life in contemporary societies. In 2012 tourism
arrivals
reached 1 billion people at the global scale. In a short time one can move to
extremely
different climatic conditions and one’s organism is under great pressure of
atmospheric
stimuli which can be very different from those experienced at home. Spatial
differences in climate stimuli need various adaptation strategies in humans. The paper
considers adaptation
strain in tourists from seven central and northern European cities
travelling to the Mediterranean regions of Barcelona, Rome and Athens for the period
1991-2000. The Adaptation
Strain Index (ASI) was applied for this purpose. Seasonal and
spatial patterns of bioclimatic contrasts are considered. Summer was the season with
greatest spatially differentiated
adaptation strain, but in winter the need for adaptation
was the highest.