Antarctic sea ice cover hit record lows in 2017, 2022, and 2023. Credit: NCPOR
Amid geopolitical shifts and decreasing sea ice1, parties to the Antarctic Treaty are moving to regulate tourism on the continent.
The 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) in Kerala in May 2024 focused attention on responsible tourism to preserve the icy continent’s ecology. The International Union for Conservation of Nature warns that existing regulations, like the Madrid Protocol of the Antarctic Treaty System, fail to protect against tourism impacts, including site damage, travel route disruptions, and wildlife disturbances.
A management plan for tourism in the region is urgently needed as parties to the treaty worry about environmental and biosecurity implications, says Thamban Meloth, Director at the Goa-based National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR).
A record 122,072 people visited Antarctica in the 2023-2024 austral season, reports the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators. Most ships depart from South America to the Antarctic Peninsula, with peak tourist time coinciding with penguin breeding season. Adventure activities such as skiing, snowboarding, ice walking, snorkeling, and scuba diving are steadily increasing in Antarctica, a continent with no native human inhabitants. “Developing this legally binding framework is complex due to Antarctica's unique status as a global commons. It will require consensus within the treaty system, taking several years to mature,” says Meloth.
Tourism in Antarctica began in the 1950s, raising concerns about its potential to disrupt scientific research2. This led to the first Antarctic tourism resolution in 1966 by the ATCM, urging member states to withhold permission to visit Antarctic stations without assurances of treaty compliance.
Tourism in Antarctica surged with the MS Explorer in 1969 and regular flights from Argentina a year later. Over the next two decades, mineral exploration and sovereignty issues overshadowed tourism concerns, which nonetheless expanded. In the 1990s, tourism regained attention.
In a 2007 Delhi meeting, India advocated for responsible tourism realising that it cannot be stopped. “There’s good scope for Antarctic tourism from India, with Goa as a gateway. But we must have a multilateral legally binding agreement,” says Rasik Ravindra, a former NCPOR director and former vice-president of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research.
India's two operational research stations, Maitri and Bharti, along with the now-abandoned Dakshin Gangotri, a designated historical site under the ATS, could attract Indian travelers. India recently announced plans to commission Maitri’s successor by 2029. Ravindra emphasized that well-planned tourism could educate the public about environmental changes in Antarctica, garnering support for its protection. Recent research3 indicates that Antarctic sea-ice decline impacts the summer monsoon more than Arctic ice loss, highlighting record lows in 2017, 2022, and 2023, and underscoring the importance of Antarctic research for India.
Geopolitical tensions, particularly the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, have driven up scientific costs by 30%, due to disruptions in supply chains and energy. Indian Antarctic expeditions, typically budgeted at 95-100 crores annually, now hover at 125-130 crores, says Meloth, reflecting increased complexities despite the Antarctic Treaty’s protective measures.
To manage costs, countries like India rely on collaborative logistics, often with nations like Russia, known for robust Antarctic assets. "We must match contributions in cash or kind (logistics) to uphold this support," emphasizes Ravindra, stressing the need for strategic financial preparedness amid rising scientific expense.
