The Pros and Cons of traveling to Antarctica

One year ago I had the privilege to spend a month exploring the continent of Antarctica. It was an amazing experience that opened my eyes to a land uninhabited by humans. I trekked across glaciers, walked by millions of penguins, kayaked with whales, and even spent a night on the ice in an igloo. I’ll never forget the views of the beautiful crystal waters, towering glaciers, and brash ice, or the smells and sights of the largest penguin colonies in the world. I came home with an enlightened perspective on an unseen part of the world and what we need to do in order to preserve it.

With the launch of our Spring 2021 Antarctica trips, we want to be transparent and help our expeditioners learn of some of the environmental pros and cons of traveling to this wild and remote part of our world.

The Pros 

Guidelines -  There are a lot of guidelines in place to visiting the continent thanks to strict self-regulation of the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operations. These guidelines limit the size of ships, the number of visitors, places that can be visited, and minimizes the impact.

Education - How can we create advocated for a country with no native residents? With little to no visitors? As more people visit Antarctica, especially those with influence, more people are educated on the delicate balance of our global ecosystem. Should any future Antarctica mining or drilling projects come up, there will be more advocates for protecting this special continent. Because there are no local residents to speak for Antarctica, the continent needs loyal ambassadors to help preserve it. Moreover, the boats of the tours teach messages of conservation and help tourists better understand our effects on the globe.

Penguin Patterns - To date, there has been no evidence that tourism has affected the breeding patterns of wild penguins, probably due to the strict regulations on tourist interaction with Antarctic wildlife.

The Cons

Risk of Pollution - There is always the danger of any accidents involving the ships touring the Antarctic, resulting in oil spills and debris that could damage the delicate ecosystems.
Invasive life - Tourists or guides could unwittingly carry outside seeds, spores, or even insects into the area, disrupting the natural balance of the ecosystem.

Animal life - As tourism increases, wildlife could abandon their normal places of habitation if they are regularly disturbed. This has the potential to negatively impact their breeding and the balance of the surrounding ecosystems. 

We are excited to offer the opportunity to take some of you to explore the beautiful and remote part of the world that is Antarctica. I have become an ambassador for the continent and conservation; I can’t wait to facilitate the learning and the adventure of visiting Antarctica!

Post Written by Ryan Woolley