Antarctica is becoming a tourist hotspot

Greg and Susana McCurdy take photos in Antarctica during their summer trip in 2024

The 250 passengers on board ran to the balconies and leaned over the side of the ship to see what was happening. But this was not a Titanic-style stampede to get into the lifeboats. Instead, passengers began to descend the stairs and walk on the ice.

The crash was not an accident but a planned experience. To make it even more special, the ship had arranged a table filled with champagne flutes to celebrate the arrival of the passengers in Antarctica.

Among the passengers strolling on the ice floe were Greg and Susana McCurdy, two retired police officers from Las Vegas, USA. Susana now works part-time in the tourism industry while Greg spends all his spare time exploring the world's most exotic places.

After grabbing a glass of champagne, the McCurdys held up a small banner that read “Continent 7 – Antarctica 2024” and posed for a photo. With this trip, they officially joined a small but growing group of travelers who have visited every continent in the world.

Susana has noticed a change in her clients who are buying tours lately. They want to explore more authentic things on their trips, they have more goals, especially after the pandemic. They don’t want to postpone their trips, and Antarctica is near the top of Susana’s list of clients who want to visit.

According to the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), the number of visitors to the region has increased significantly since the pandemic. In the winter of 2017, only about 7,000 people visited Antarctica. This year, the number has surpassed 43,000, an increase of more than 500%.

Decades ago, traveling to Antarctica was not the luxury it is today. Visitors had to travel on smaller ships, many of them arriving on old icebreakers from Russia, Canada and other polar nations.

Seabourn Pursuit uses bow to cut ice in Antarctica

Robin West, CEO of Seabourn Expeditions, made his first trip to the area in 2002. Many of the boats then had bunk beds and shared bathrooms. Few had windows to look out, a stark contrast to today's experience.

Colleen McDaniel, head of the US-based cruise review website Cruise Critic, said that lines such as Ponant, Silversea, Seabourn and Scenic have recently made great strides in offering luxury experiences to visitors to the polar regions, offering luxury suites, fine dining and spas.

Cruise lines invest billions of dollars in Antarctic expedition ships.
Both the Seabourn Pursuit and Venture ships feature a luxury spa, nine restaurants, eight lounges and bars for the approximately 250 passengers on board. Each of the 132 cabins has large glass doors and balconies, allowing guests to easily stand outside as majestic icebergs drift by.

For an extra fee, guests will be provided with specially designed cold-weather clothing to keep them warm and dry while wandering among the penguins and seals.

Cruise lines Celebrity, Norwegian and Princess now offer new "just cruise" tours that allow passengers to see Antarctica without actually setting foot on the tundra (just sit on the ship and watch).

The surge in tourism has led many experts to warn about the environmental impact. A 2022 study in the journal Nature found that Antarctica’s snow is melting faster as more tourists visit the continent. Soot emitted from cruise ship chimneys settles on the ice, attracting sunlight, causing tons of snow to melt prematurely. Ecologists say the growing human presence in Antarctica is causing carbon dioxide levels to spike.

Cruise ship operators say they are acutely aware of their impact on the environment, and passengers are given detailed instructions not to bring any outside food or other contaminants into Antarctica. They are also instructed not to lie on the snow and to keep their distance from wildlife to prevent the transmission of bacteria and viruses.

Wildlife is a big attraction on Antarctic cruises.

Countries participating in research and tourism in Antarctica have signed the Antarctic Treaty, which clearly states that no permanent structures may be built in the area for tourism purposes.

In other words, there are no hotels in Antarctica. IAATO has recently started tracking the fuel consumption of cruise ships in the Antarctic region, and some operators are now using electric propulsion systems where possible in an effort to cut emissions, soot and CO2.

TH (according to VnExpress)

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/nam-cuc-dang-tro-thanh-diem-nong-du-lich-396854.html