Tourism in Antarctica

Tourism in Antarctica refers to individuals or groups visiting Antarctica for recreation and sightseeing. Such travels most often involve sightseeing cruises to view wildlife as well as ice cliffs. Travel to the southernmost continent began with explorers and scientific expeditions, which are ongoing. In the twenty-first century, tourists can view the sights from the comfort of a deck chair or take a more active approach, such as kayaking, snowshoeing, camping, skiing, snorkeling, or taking submarine or helicopter rides. Leisure travel in the region is most common during the Southern Hemisphere’s brief summer from December through February when seas are navigable.

Many expeditions are led by former researchers. The companies must have permits and voluntarily abide by the rules of an organization that limits ship size and the number of landed visitors. Tour operators say they hope clients will become more aware of the effects of global climate change on the local ecosystem.

Background

The discovery of Antarctica occurred in a few stages. Captain James Cook first predicted that a frozen land south of Australia existed during an expedition in 1777. He noted in his journal that the sea ice he witnessed must originate in the far south, a mythical land called Terra Australis Incognita. Cook believed the region was so inhospitable that it would never be successfully found.

Tsar Alexander I of Russia decided his country would discover the southern continent. In 1819, he dispatched Captain Fabian Gottlieb Thaddeus von Bellingshausen. The captain, who admired Cook, set sail with a copy of Cook’s reports. The expedition was the first since Cook’s to cross the Antarctic Circle, an event that occurred on January 26, 1820. Though Bellinghausen’s expedition neared continental land, weather forced a return to Australia. A British expedition achieved his goal on January 30 when navigator Edward Bransfield sighted the Antarctic Peninsula.

In the late nineteenth century, multiple expeditions visited Antarctica, and by the early twentieth-century adventurers raced to be the first to the South Pole. Norwegian Roald Amundsen reached the pole on December 14, 1911. About a month later, British explorer Robert Falcon Scott achieved the goal as well, although his entire expedition died on the return trek. Other expeditions focused on scientific discovery. Australian geologist Douglas Mawson led the Australasian Antarctic Expedition of 1911 to 1914. The team explored more than 3,700 miles (6,000 kilometers), recording finds in geography, geology, magnetism, meteorology, and oceanography.

During World War II, several countries staked claims to territories in Antarctica. Countries were interested in the continent for strategic positioning and potential resources, and, at times, their teams experienced minor clashes. In 1959, twelve countries that were pursuing scientific research in Antarctica signed an agreement for the use of the continent. Land claims already in place were maintained. The Antarctic Treaty, which states that the use of the continent should be peaceful and scientific investigations should be shared, was later signed by additional nations. During the 1990s, the parties adopted the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty. This agreement, also known as the Madrid Protocol, protects the continent as a natural reserve and bans the exploitation of mineral resources. It applies equally to scientists, governments, and tourists.

The first tourist expedition in modern times took place in 1966 when Lars-Eric Lindblad chartered a naval vessel and charged passengers for a trip to the Antarctic mainland. Three years later, the entrepreneur, who is called the father of ecotourism and adventure tourism, was conducting tours with his own vessel.

Overview

Tourism in Antarctica is governed by the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), which was founded in 1991 by seven tour operators, including Lindblad Expeditions. The IAATO, which grew to over one hundred expedition tour operators by 2024, sets management controls for the forty-two most popular landing sites but does not establish limits on the number of tourists who can visit in a season or govern more than sixty other landing sites.

Some tourists fly over Antarctica on sightseeing flights that last a few hours. Large cruise ships can carry tourists close to the continent but are banned from landing and allowing tourists to go ashore. Only ships with five hundred or fewer berths are permitted to land. These expedition cruises are generally far more expensive, charging at least $15,000 for cruises up to twenty days, but some operations charge several times that. Despite the steep price, Antarctic tourism in modern times is booming. During the 2018–2019 season, more than 55,400 tourists journeyed to Antarctica by sea or air; about 44,600 of them disembarked on the continent or an island. Although the 2019–2020 season was abbreviated due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, it still drew more than 50,000 expedition cruise tourists and more than 78,000 visitors. Following the loosening of COVID-19 protocols and a return to relative normalcy for travelers, the IAATO reported over 105,000 tourists in the 2022-2023 season, a record number.

Modern expedition cruise ships, which primarily operate out of South America, use technology to improve safety and comfort. Among the safety features are ice-strengthened hulls, increased navigation technology, and relocation of fuel tanks away from the hull to reduce the chance of spills in an accident. Luxury details include panoramic suites, saunas, and gourmet restaurants. The companies that operate in Antarctica have policies limiting the environmental impact of the ships and clients. In 2021, the industry was adding additional expedition vessels, which can cost up to $200 million to build and outfit, to meet increasing demand. Some effects of global climate change have also made tourism in Antarctica more practical; for example, as the ice retreats, more routes for ships open.

Tour operators say they educate tourists about the environment and effects of global climate change on the Antarctic. Seeing the pristine environment and the wildlife has had a profound effect on many visitors. Operators say this makes them ambassadors for Antarctica. The tour companies also cite ways in which they provide support for the scientists conducting research on the continent. This includes delivering supplies to research stations and offering transportation to scientists leaving the stations.

Experts warn of potential damage to the continent that occurs inadvertently. Landed tourists create footpaths and cause soil erosion. Engines and motors of watercraft create underwater noise that could affect wildlife. Visitors could accidentally introduce seeds and spores of non-native plants. Researchers say human activity has affected wildlife, such as elephant seals that have fallen off cliffs. Graffiti has appeared on historic structures.

Increased traffic concerns environmentalists. As more ships visit the region, the danger of oil spills and other types of pollution increases. Ships have been grounded on uncharted rocks and hit ice. In November 2007, the MS Explorer cracked its hull on ice and started to sink. The one hundred passengers took to lifeboats in the middle of the night and were picked up by another cruise ship three hours later, just before the weather turned. The official report noted that had the rescue been delayed by the gale-force winds, some may have died. The environmental impact was also dire; the oil slick from the sunken ship covered an area of almost two square miles, and the oil sheen remained visible for more than a year.

Despite the environmental impacts of tourism in Antarctica, numbers are only expected to increase, along with regulations to attempt to prevent any detrimental impacts. As visitors increase, so does the study of their impacts. Studies like the one done by scientists on a Royal Navy Ice Patrol ship, HMS Protector, help provide data on environmental factors such as pollution. While viewing Antarctica is an exciting adventure, humans must also commit not to harm the natural beauty. 

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