Polar regions responsible tourism
But in each region, this threat has been handled quite differently. Government-free Antarctica is carefully protected by the Antarctic Treaty, which bans conflict, mining and oil prospecting while opening the frozen continent to those who wish to carry out research activities. Tourism is also strictly controlled. The Arctic, on the other hand, finds itself somewhat more vulnerable. Shared between eight countries and with a population of four million, this floating ice cap is now being drilled and mined, to the horror of both environmentalists around the world, and the Inuit populations that have lived on the edge of the ice for centuries.
In both cases, then, it is not tourism which causes the greatest harm – but the activities of governments, businesses and individuals around the world.
Our Antarctica & the Arctic Holidays
Classic Antarctica cruise & South Shetland Islands
Experience all that this remarkable area has to offer!
Arctic sailing voyages, Spitsbergen
Experience sailing in the fjords
Antarctic Peninsula and Weddell Sea cruise
Antarctica & Weddell Sea Emperor Penguins by ship/helicopter
Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica cruise
The Ultimate Antarctica Experience!
Arctic icebreaker cruise, Spitsbergen
Wildlife-focused, expert-led small ship Arctic cruises
Falkland Islands wildlife tour
10 day Falklands birds and wildlife adventure
Luxury Arctic cruise Spitsbergen & Franz Josef Land
A unique expedition to rarely visited Franz Josef Land
Antarctic Peninsula Cruises
An inspiring wilderness & wildlife journey of a lifetime
Arctic wildlife holiday, Polar bear explorer
A wildlife focused Arctic safari in Svalbard
Spitsbergen Arctic Cruise
An exciting wildlife cruise around the Svalbard archipelago
Antarctic expedition cruise, fly the Drake passage
The quick way to and from Antarctica - A fly cruise
Falkland Islands tour, birds and wildlife
A comprehensive Falklands birds and wildlife adventure
Antarctica fly and cruise
Experience Antarctica without having to cruise the Drake!
Iceland circumnavigation cruise
A thrilling, complete Iceland experience!
Chukotka and Wrangel Island wildlife cruises, Russia
Explore Russian Arctic - home to Polar Bears, walrus & more
Antarctic cruise and hiking in Chile
Walk in Atacama and Patagonia before cruising Antarctica
Antarctica small ship cruises
Ultimate Antarctica South Georgia small ship wildlife cruise
Antarctic whale watching cruise
Witness an incredible wildlife spectacle in Antarctica
North Spitsbergen cruise, in search of Polar Bears
Expert Led, Polar Bears, Whales, Birdlife, photography
Antarctica and New Zealand Subantarctic Islands Wildlife Cruise
Travel from New Zealand on the ultimate Antarctic voyage.
Spitsbergen polar bear watching cruise
Venture into the staggering realm of the King of the Arctic
Antarctica cruises
Wildlife expeditions to Antarctica's legendary landscape!
Ross Sea Antarctic Islands cruise from New Zealand
A unique and exciting adventure to the end of the world!
Greenland cruise, southern coasts and Disko Bay
Explore one of Greenland’s most remote regions
Svalbard wildlife cruise
Search for polar bears on this small-group cruise
Antarctica, South Georgia & Falklands luxury cruise
Cruise Antarctica in Luxury - Small ship luxury cruising
Antarctic Peninsula expedition
A 14-day expedition to the Antarctic Peninsula and Circle.
Highlights of Spitsbergen holiday
5 night cruise through the heart of the Arctic
Antarctic Peninsula expedition cruise
Experience an adventure tour of Antarctica
North Atlantic arctic cruise, Aberdeen to Longyearbyen
Explore Spitsbergen via the Faroes and Jan Mayen
Wildlife & environment
To fly or not to fly?
When it comes to responsible tourism in the Polar Regions, many environmentalists would argue that the only truly green course of action is... not to go. The biggest question is: how can the flight be justified?Both Poles are at the mercy of activities taking place thousands of miles away. Climate change is without doubt the biggest threat; temperatures have risen much faster at the poles than across the rest of the globe. Glaciers and tens of thousands of square kilometres of ice have vanished. Rising sea temperatures affect the tiniest of sea creatures such as krill – the effects are seen all the way up the food chain to seals and whales.*
But while it is true that a flight to Patagonia or Svalbard will contribute to climate change, so will every other flight you take, every car journey you make and every bit of food you eat that has travelled from a distant farm. They all contribute to the melting of polar ice, and they all, also, contribute to the altered rainfalls and drought across the world. So, it is wrong to link your your polar flights exclusively with the melting ice – and it is equally wrong to ignore all the other carbon emissions you create when thinking about your impact on Antarctica and the Arctic.
This leads us to the dilemma that every traveller to the Poles faces. There is no easy alternative to flying, and – unlike other choices we can make, there is no magic low carbon, organic or Fairtrade aviation fuel available. So the choice – quite wrongly in our view – is left to you as a personal one: to go or not to go.
*Source: British Antarctic Survey
In the Arctic, with its people and protected areas, it’s easy to see how responsible tourism can be a force for good; travelling in national parks and wildlife reserves involves paying park fees, which support the maintenance, protection and monitoring of these wilderness areas, as well as encouraging the creation of new reserves. Visiting Inuit communities creates much-needed income and supports a disappearing way of life. And onboard lectures from Arctic experts offer an unrivalled chance to learn.
"Our guide kept bringing up issues around conservation and the awareness and perspective alone gained from those discussions will have a positive impact on the environment... People definitely went away more aware and inspired to make changes in their own lives." – Joshua Cox, from our holiday reviews
Most of our customers who have travelled to Antarctica have described themselves as deeply moved by its peace and pristine landscapes. Climate change, nature’s fragility and the urgency of protecting it suddenly hit home, and an expedition to Antarctica really can prove to be life changing. In a land where there are no local voices to shout about their cause, tourists have an important role to play as representatives and ambassadors for this final wilderness.
So if you do decide to go, perhaps the question is: what changes can you make in your life to reduce your carbon footprint and lobby for effective global carbon regulation?
Drilling the Arctic
The melting of the Arctic ice has knock-on environmental impact: facilitating access to oil. Some 90 billion barrels of petroleum – plus huge reserves of natural gas – are believed to lie above the Arctic Circle. Today’s rising oil costs, receding ice, and new technologies are like a red rag to a bull in a china shop for oil companies. In 2015 there were two major developments in the Arctic regarding drilling for oil and gas. After spending over $7bn and exploring for ten years, in September 2015 Shell abandoned its plans of drilling for oil in the Arctic, announcing that there weren’t enough reserves to make it worth their while. Next, in October 2015, the US government’s Obama administration blocked future prospects for oil drilling in Alaska, putting in place lease conditions that make it nigh on impossible for prospectors to even set foot there. In early 2019, the Trump administration attempted to lift the ban, but was overruled by the federal court – a change in policy which should scare anyone interested in protecting the Arctic. But like it or not, oil drilling is moving north. Greenland has put its extensive reserves up for tender. Greenland Gas and Oil commences drilling in 2020, and the country’s resources have generated plenty of interest – not least from Donald Trump, who offered to take the country off Denmark’s hands in 2019. Drilling the arctic will cause ecological havoc. The ice is cleared to make way for rigs using nuclear-powered icebreakers, whole icebergs are hauled out of the way and roads and pipelines are built. An oil spill here would spell disaster for the wildlife. WWF has more information on their website.Greenpeace is still calling for a global sanctuary to protect the Arctic Ocean and ban offshore drilling so it is never too late to sign their petition, or make a donation to support this campaign.
WWF also does extensive work in the Arctic, including supporting polar bear research, assisting local communities to avoid conflict with wildlife, researching the impacts of climate change and establishing protected areas. They are also members of the Arctic Council, and as such can influence decisions made by the governing nations. There are several ways you can support WWF and their work.
People & culture
Before they disappear
The indigenous peoples living around the Arctic Circle have battled for centuries to maintain their unique ways of life. Long threatened by colonisation and European diseases, then “development” and relocation, and even the spread of communism; today, Inuit culture is largely recognised and protected, and communities are permitted to hunt and occupy their ancestral lands. But now the lands themselves are facing a much bigger threat than ever before: climate change.Over 150,000 Inuit are dependent on the ocean for fishing, whaling and hunting seals* – but without the ice cover to hold the land in place, the coast is eroding and villages are, literally, disappearing. The waters are rising around them and sea ice is flimsy – hunters can no longer drag their boats across it to the sea, leaving them stranded on the land and unable to sustain themselves and their families. In 2013 a community of Alaskan Inuit on the Bering Strait were described as the United States’ first “climate change refugees”, as their village succumbed to the rising waters.
Arctic drilling also poses a threat to subsistence lifestyles, as does the disappearance of the wildlife upon which these people depend. Most of us would cheer up at the thought of a longer, warmer summer, but suicide rates have rocketed amongst native Canadian and Greenlandic populations as the ice breaks up sooner each spring and the Arctic winter shrinks each year. Tragically, they are the ones paying the price of a high-consumption Western lifestyle, a lifestyle to which they never subscribed. We now know that the Arctic is warming at twice the global rate.
*Source: BBC
What you can do
Visiting an Inuit community is an eye-opening addition to your Arctic cruise itinerary. Baffin Island, Hudson Bay and Greenland are some of the best places to meet indigenous peoples – many of whom are actively involved in tourism, as a means of supplementing their income. Purchasing crafts and paying for tours or demonstrations can make a big difference to a struggling family.
“Art is a huge part of these cultures, and one of the easiest ways to engage with the local people is to ask about their art, whether it’s the needlepoint or carvings that they’re making. It’s a good way to interact.”
Hunting – preserving culture or preserving species?
In some countries, polar bear hunting is still legal for native people. The allocation of hunting permits is based on regular monitoring of the populations, and quotas are then assigned to the communities. The hunting of polar bear – as well as of other species, including seals and whales – is a strong tradition for native populations, and every part of the animal is used – from the fur to the meat and the fat.What you can do
We don’t advocate trophy hunting for tourists, but visitors should be aware that it is a traditional way of life here – and one which has been sustainable for thousands of years. As a visitor to an Inuit community, you should travel with an open mind, and engage with your hosts to learn more about subsistence living in the Arctic.