Are there any negative effects of tourism to Antarctica?

Tourism must be managed to reduce negative effects. There has been a steady increase in the number of tourists to Antarctica over the past 20 years. Most tourists come to the Antarctic Peninsula.

Is it safe for tourists to go to Antarctica?

– BBC News Should tourists be banned from Antarctica? This season, around 37,000 tourists are expected to visit Antarctica – home to around 20 million pairs of breeding penguins. But is it ethically acceptable to go on holiday in such pristine surroundings?

What happens if you ban people from Antarctica?

Banning people from visiting altogether could make Antarctica a forgotten land far away. And that would be the biggest travesty of all. The native inhabitants of Antarctica. Image credit: Shutterstock.

What not to bring on a trip to Antarctica?

Sometimes it's something as simple as a stone from a beach. In Antarctica, however, it is forbidden to take everything. This includes rocks, feathers, bones, eggs and any kind of biological material, including traces of soil. Taking anything man-made is also completely prohibited, as something may actually be research equipment.

Why do so many people go to Antarctica?

Most tourists come to the Antarctic Peninsula. The reasons for the increase in the number of tourists include: Tourism is a growing industry. Media has made people more aware of extreme environments.

How do human activities affect the environment in Antarctica?

Environmental audits are now being carried out around scientific stations, on land and in the sea, to assess the impact of the base and its activities on the area around it. Every activity is bound to have some degree of disturbance to the environment, emissions from vehicles, disturbance to wild animals, waste of various types being produced.

When did tourism begin to occur in Antarctica?

Commercial tourism to Antarctica dates back to the late 1960s. There has been rapid growth in Antarctic tourism since the late 1980s. Now there is a wide range of tourist and adventure activities.