Tourism in Extreme Envionments Case Study - Antarctica

Extreme Environments - Antarctica

Context:

     Antarctica is a continent at the Earth's South Pole

     Covers an area of 14 million km² 

     98% is covered with ice

     Number of tourists visiting Antarctica is rising each year

          In 1996/1997 there were 7413 visitors

          In 2007/2008 there were 46,000 visitors

Attractions of Antartica:

     -  Magnificent scenery (icebergs)

     -  Close-up wildlife experience (penguins and whales)

     -  Photography 

How and When do Visitors Travel There?

     No commercial airports, only landing places, which are unusuable for most of the year

     Most arrive by cruise ships

     The season is narrow between Mid-November and Mid-March

Impacts on Tourism:

     -  Sea and coastal pollution caused by oil spills from boats, especially the sinking of the cruise ships, MS Explorer in 2007. Fuel spills kill molluscs and fish, and also birds which feed on them

     -  Littering

     -…