This is quite a substantial number, especially when you consider the brevity of the Antarctic tourist season. Cruises to the White Continent run between November and March, during the austral summer. Although tourists are only allowed to set foot on a few restricted landing sites, their impact on the wildlife and the environment is consistently monitored.
Banning people altogether from visiting, may cause Antarctica to become a far-away forgotten land. And that would be the biggest travesty of all. The native inhabitants of Antarctica.
Experts believe that carefully controlled tourism can actually be beneficial to Antarctica, a land with no native inhabitants who can advocate for its preservation. Moreover, there is a high level of commitment among Antarctica cruise operators to adhere to strict environmental guidelines, something which is unseen anywhere else on earth.
This is part of the Antarctic Treaty , which was set up to safeguard this immaculate continent. They have even inadvertently introduced non-native species to the continent — mostly as unsuspecting stowaways in fresh produce cargo. Permanent scientific stations may be more impactful than short and heavily controlled tourist visits, yet one can also argue that their work is substantially more beneficial in the long run.
Concern about the influence of colonies of penguins and sea lions in these regions seems, so far, to be unfounded. When studied, creatures in areas where tourists regularly visit are doing the same, better or worse than those living in colonies far from the prying eyes and footsteps of tourists. The preservation of this incredible natural resource must always be at the forefront of all our Antarctic activities, whether tourist or science-based. Studies on human impact in Antarctica are nowadays concerned not only about current safeguarding guidelines, but also undoing past damage.
The reasons for the increase in tourist numbers include:. Whether tourism should be allowed is a big question. Here are some of the pros and cons of tourism in Antarctica:. Tourism in Antarctica There has been a steady increase in the numbers of tourists to Antarctica over the last 20 years. An example of how tourism has been managed is the signing of the Protocol on Environmental Protection, which came into effect in [6].
Alongside other important environmental rules laid out in this protocol, such as waste disposal and marine pollution, this protocol specifically ensures that popular tourist sites are safe and environmentally protected. IAATO have a series of sustainable goals which are in line with the Protocol on Environmental Protection such as a limited impact on the Antarctic environment, they help spread awareness of environmental issues, and support Antarctic science with logistical support and research.
There is a whole host of activities that tourists can do in Antarctica including water sports, wildlife excursions and mountain climbing, but there are also activities that help ongoing scientific research. This typically comes in the form of citizen science projects, but can also be helping with logistics, such as helping deliver equipment and supplies to researchers.
There are a number of these projects available such as HappyWhale where tourists can upload images of whales they have spotted and their location to aid understanding about species distribution and numbers [8,9]. Despite the sustainable procedures in place, tourism in Antarctica does have some environmental implications. Tourism in Antarctica typically occurs during the summer months November to March as it is when the sea ice surrounding the continent is at its minimum, allowing cruise ships to pass through with ease.
However, this is when Antarctica is most sensitive with surface melt and ice shelf thinning at its highest, and ice accumulation at its lowest [10]. The primary threat of humans visiting the most secluded continent on Earth is the introduction of alien species to its ecosystems. Seeds, bacteria and spores can enter Antarctica from items of clothing and equipment which can lead to the spread of invasive plant species and pathogens [11].
It is estimated that tourists can bring up to 9. However, many tour operator staff are required to deep clean passengers belongings before they can step onto Antarctica.
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