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Tourism in Extreme Environments (Antarctica)
Tourism in Extreme Environments (Antarctica)
Extreme environments are locations with particularly difficult
environments where the development of tourism has only recently
occured due to a niche market demand for somewhere different with
physical challenges.
Machu Picchu ; at the end
of the Inca trail in the
Andes in Peru. So many
tourist want to expeince
the four day trek that
numbers are now limited
1
The target market
• Adventure tourists are looking for challenges and risks.
• Normal holiday insurance policies does not cover many of these
activities.
• The tourists are often about 30 years old, single and have high
powered jobs.
• The travel groups tend to be small but the distance travelled is often
great.
• The comapnies providing these trips tend advertise on the internet
more than via a brochure.
• Although costs are high, little of this is down to accomodation as often
'sleeping rough' is expected.
•This sector of tourism is growing in places like South America,
Azerbaijan and Pakistan
2
99% of
Antarctica is
covered by ice
so the tourists
are being
focused on a
small area. Few
visitors
adventure onto
the ice, most
prefer other
activities.
3
. In 2002/2003, 13,571 tourists visited Antarctica, compared with only 6,000
ten years ago. Only 5% of these tourists have visited the Ross Sea region of
Antarctica, where New Zealand’s national programme activity is focused. The
majority of tours are to the Antarctic Peninsula region, close to South
America.
4
Tours are organised by over 100 private companies
and people from all over the world make the journey
to see the icy continent.
The majority of tourists come from the USA (36%),
followed by Britain (16%), Germany (11%) and
Australia (7%).
5
The Conflicts.
Poorly managed visitors of any kind can:
• cause damage to slow growing moss beds,
• disturb wildlife
• and take historic items or
• geological souvenirs.
Rubbish and wastes from ships have also been a problem, as have unplanned
visits to scientific bases.
Although visitors spend little time ashore, the impact on the wildlife can be
devastating as the penguins and seals may totally abandon their eggs and young.
6
The increase in cruise ships brings issues in the ice floe and uncharted
waters.
" In November 2007 the MS Explorer , a 2,400 ton cruise ship, sank
causing the 154 passengers and crew to take to the life boats. The loss
of the ship caused an the fear of an oil spill, which, at the moment, has
not been realized
7
Management of tourism in Antarctica
• All tour operators are members of International Association of Antarctica
Tour Operators (IAATO). which directs tourism to be safe and
environmentally friendly.
• Tourism is seen as an activity which can be sustainable if it is managed.
• Visitors are not allowed to visit SSSIs.
• Permits are required for activities.
• No cruise ship carrying more than 500 passengers can land.
However not all tour operators have signed up to the agreement and ships
that carry over 3,000 are planned.
At a US conference on Antarctica several proposals were brought up :
1. Limit the number of landings from tourist vessels
2. Prevent hazardous discharges from said ships
3. Ensure the safety of Antarctic tourists with rigorous boat safety standards
4. Extend the existing marine pollution rules
8
Attachments
Antarctic Tourism.mp4