Antarctic Tourism Flashcards
Why are polar scientists concerned about Antarctic tourism?
They fear it will interfere with their work and destroy the near perfect environment
When did small scale tourism to the Antarctic begin?
In the 1950s with commercial tour operators providing passenger ships
What was the name of the first specially designed, ice strengthen cruise ship and when did it visit the Antarctic?
The Linbald Explorer first sailed to the Antarctic in 1969
How many Antarctic tourists were there in
1992/3
2007/8
92/93: under 9000
07/08 over 46000
Which 3 countries do 60% of Antarctic tourists come from?
USA, Germany, the U.K.
Where do most Antarctic tourists catch a ship from?
Ushala, Argentina or Port Stanley, Falkland islands
What activities do Antarctic tourists undertake and why could it be argued that Antarctic tourism is sustainable?
They take photos and go cross country skiing and mountaineering. It could be argued to be sustainable as it is small scale.
Why was there nearly a 20 year interval in Antarctic tour flights?
An Air New Zealand DC10 plane crashed into mount Erebus, killing all onboard
Why do tourists go to the Antarctic?
To see the wildlife, spectacular scenery, glacial landscapes as well as the remoteness and isolation.
What happened in 2009 regarding the Antarctic treaty signatories and tourist numbers?
They agreed to limit tourist numbers to 20 tourists per expert guide, only 1 cruise ship can be present at a landing site and each site can only be visited every 2 or 3 days
What is the average capacity if most Antarctic cruise ships?
50-100 people
How many approved landing sites are there in the Antarctic?
200
Some findings show that Antarctic tourism has had little effect on the environment, give examples of these
- Antarctic tourism is well run and has a good record
- Guidelines are widely accepted by operators and tourists alike, they need updating to include the environmental protocol of the UN
- Damage to vegetation is down to natural causes e.g. Breeding seals and not tourists
- No litter is attributed to tourists, they’re more concerned about the litter they see around research stations
- Virtually no disturbance is caused to breeding penguins
- Seals are indifferent to the presence of humans
- Of the 200 landing sites only 5% show wear and tear but these need to be rested
What are the concerns over Antarctic tourism?
- The Antarctic ecosystem is extremely fragile
- The summer tourist season is also the breeding season for many Antarctic animals, their presence could upset natures balance
- Pressure on certain landing sites e.g. Old whaling stations and historic sites such as McMurdo Sound where the original huts from Scott’s expedition were found
- Demand for fresh water is difficult to meet
- Land based installations and wildlife are clustered in ten few ice free locations
- Some evidence that over-flying by light planes and helicopters is causing distress to penguin and other bird colonies
- Unique legal status of Antarctica makes any code of conduct difficult to enforce
- Impacts on the Antarctic ecosystem with invasive species such as the Mediterranean mussel, being brought into the region on the hulls of cruise ships
What percentage of the world’s remaining coal reserves are estimated to be in Antarctica?
10%
