Extreme Tourism: Antarctica

Extreme Tourism: Antarctica

1. Travelling to extreme environments, e.g. Antarctica= extremely remote and unspoiled + no humans. It also appeals to adventurous people due to the extreme environment.

2. Locations with difficult environments -> tourism development recent due to increase in demand for somewhere different with physical challenges

3. 100 tourist companies involved

   • Majority of tourists from USA, then UK (all MEDCs)

4. 2007 -> 40,000 visited Antarctica

   • More accessible Artic Circle : attracts over a million per year

5. Costs up to £7,000

6. Attractions

   • new extreme physical landscapes + challenges
   • extreme sports
   • helicopter flights
   • Trekking
   • cruises
   • Rare wildlife
   • Southern lights- tourists + scientists

7. Cons

   • Honeypot sites -> accessible sites where boats tend to stop -> disturbs animals from usual feeding and breeding sites e.g. penguins
   • Tourists can trample on plants + disturb wildlife
   • Litter
   • Fragile eco-system -> too many people disrupt delicate balance -> can take many years to recover, if at all
   • Oil spills -> 2007: esp. after sinking of cruise ship, MS Explorer ->fuel spills kill molluscs + fish + birds that feed on them
   • Fears that tourists could accidentally introduce non-native species or diseases that could wipe out existing species.

8. Management/Pros

   • IAATO (International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators)
     • Tour operators have voluntary codes of conduct to minimise the impacts – including not going within five metres of wildlife.
     • Regulates boat companies + try to ensure sustainable future
       • No. of passengers on landing ships limited to 500 + Maximum of 100 passengers allowed onshore at a time
         • Reduces no. of tourists to a sustainable no.
         • Reduces impact of oil spills -> smaller ships= spill less oil
   • Tourists banned from SSSI's -> conserve precious wildlife + landscapes
   • Waste + food must stay on ships
   • Tourists + scientists must gain permit for any activity they want to partake in