More than 100,000 tourists will head to Antarctica this summer. Should we worry about damage to the ice and its ecosystems?

Jan 9, 2023

More than 100,000 tourists are heading to Antarctica this summer via cruise ship. Image: Unsplash/James Eades

Elizabeth Leane

Professor of English and Associate Dean, Research Performance, University of Tasmania

Anne Hardy

Associate Professor, Tourism and Society, University of Tasmania

Carolyn Philpott

Senior Lecturer in Musicology, Conservatorium of Music, School of Creative Arts and Media; Adjunct Senior Researcher, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies,, University of Tasmania

Katie Marx

PhD Candidate, Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania

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Antarctica

Those who do set foot on Antarctica normally make brief visits, rather than taking overnight stays. Image: Unsplash

Summer is the only time tourists can safely visit Antarctica Image: Unsplash/tdederichs

Cruise ships make mass tourism to Antarctica possible - but they come with environmental costs. Image: Unsplash/Peter Hansen

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