Tourism in Antarctica
Encyclopedia
Tourism in Antarctica started with sea tourism in the 1960s. Air overflights of Antarctica started in the 1970s with sightseeing flights by airliners from Australia and New Zealand, and were resumed in the 1990s. Private yacht trips started in the late 1960s. The (summer) tour season lasts from November to March. Most of the estimated 14,762 visitors to Antarctica in 1999-2000 were on sea cruises. In the 2009 to 2010 tourist season, over 37,000 people visited Antarctica.
; in 1969, he launched the MS Lindblad Explorer a purpose-built liner.
Many of the sea cruises leave from Ushuaia
in Argentina. Costs can range from $3,000 to $30,000 depending on the route and tour operator chosen.
There is limited sea cruises to the Ross Sea and East Antarctic (Commonwealth Bay) regions of Antarctica. The New Zealand expedition travel company Heritage Expeditions operates its own ice-strengthened polar research vessel the 'Spirit of Enderby' to these regions several times a year.
as commentator were popular. Flights take 12 to 14 hours, with up to four hours over the continent.
Qantas
started on 13 February 1977, with a flight organized by Sydney entrepreneur Dick Smith
. By 1979, 27 flights had carried more than 7,000 passengers. Most used Boeing 747Bs, and flew from Sydney, Melbourne or Perth on two “ice” routes. One went along the coast of George V Land to the French base in Adele Land then back over the South Magnetic Pole. The other went over Oates Land and northern Victoria Land to Cape Washington in the Ross Dependency. In 1977 one went over McMurdo Sound and Mount Erebus. Some shorter flights from Melbourne were in Boeing 707s. Flights from Australia stopped about 1980 but resumed in 1994 (see Croydon Travel).
Air New Zealand
flights started on 15 February 1977. There were six in 1977, four in 1978, and four in 1979. The last flight was Air New Zealand Flight 901
of 28 November 1979 which crashed into Mount Erebus. The DC-10 flights flew from Auckland to McMurdo Sound, with later flights flying down the middle of the sound and over Scott Base rather than over Ross Island and near Mount Erebus. Many descended low over McMurdo Sound for the view, but could not go particularly slow as wing flaps could not be used to slow the aircraft in case they could not be retracted.
There were earlier scenic overflights, e.g. from Chile in 1958.
from the late 1960s, with some circumnavigations of Antarctica e.g. by David Henry Lewis
in 1972.
There are now about 30 yachts each year visiting the Antarctic Peninsula
, which is in the warmer “banana belt.” Many four-day cruises leave from Tierra del Fuego
in Argentina, others from Ushuaia
or Stanley
.
Landing in Antarctica
Tourism Companies are required by the Antarctic Treaty to have a permit to visit Antarctica. Many sea cruises by cruise ships include a landing by RIB (Zodiac) or helicopter. Some land visits may include mountaineering, skiing or even a visit to the South Pole. Most operators are members of IAATO (International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators).Sea cruises
Expedition cruising was pioneered by Lars-Eric LindbladLars-Eric Lindblad
Lars-Eric Lindblad was a Swedish-American entrepreneur and explorer, who pioneered tourism to many remote and exotic parts of the world. He led the first tourist expedition to Antarctica in 1966 in a chartered Argentine navy ship, and for many years operated his own vessel, the MS Lindblad...
; in 1969, he launched the MS Lindblad Explorer a purpose-built liner.
Many of the sea cruises leave from Ushuaia
Ushuaia
Ushuaia may refer to the following:*Ushuaia, a city in Argentina.**Ushuaia Department, an administrative division**Ushuaia River**Ushuaia International Airport**Colegio Nacional de Ushuaia, National School of Ushuaia....
in Argentina. Costs can range from $3,000 to $30,000 depending on the route and tour operator chosen.
There is limited sea cruises to the Ross Sea and East Antarctic (Commonwealth Bay) regions of Antarctica. The New Zealand expedition travel company Heritage Expeditions operates its own ice-strengthened polar research vessel the 'Spirit of Enderby' to these regions several times a year.
Scenic flights
Scenic flights from Australia and New Zealand in 1977-1979 flew to the Antarctic mainland without landing and returned to the departure airport. Flights resumed from Australia in 1994. These flights were regarded as domestic not international, although Air NZ flights had an international (TE) prefix. Qantas flights were all charter flights, organized by groups like the Scouts for fund-raising. Some Air NZ flights were charter flights, and others were non-scheduled services with tickets sold by the airline and agents. Tour packages were sold in Japan, and flights with Sir Edmund HillaryEdmund Hillary
Sir Edmund Percival Hillary, KG, ONZ, KBE , was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer and philanthropist. On 29 May 1953 at the age of 33, he and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers known to have reached the summit of Mount Everest – see Timeline of climbing Mount Everest...
as commentator were popular. Flights take 12 to 14 hours, with up to four hours over the continent.
Qantas
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...
started on 13 February 1977, with a flight organized by Sydney entrepreneur Dick Smith
Dick Smith (entrepreneur)
Dick Smith, AO is an Australian entrepreneur, businessman, aviator, and political activist. He is the founder of Dick Smith Electronics, Dick Smith Foods and Australian Geographic, and was selected as the 1986 Australian of the Year.-Electronics:In 1968, Dick Smith founded electronics retailer...
. By 1979, 27 flights had carried more than 7,000 passengers. Most used Boeing 747Bs, and flew from Sydney, Melbourne or Perth on two “ice” routes. One went along the coast of George V Land to the French base in Adele Land then back over the South Magnetic Pole. The other went over Oates Land and northern Victoria Land to Cape Washington in the Ross Dependency. In 1977 one went over McMurdo Sound and Mount Erebus. Some shorter flights from Melbourne were in Boeing 707s. Flights from Australia stopped about 1980 but resumed in 1994 (see Croydon Travel).
Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand Limited is the national airline and flag carrier of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 26 domestic destinations and 24 international destinations in 15 countries across Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania, and is...
flights started on 15 February 1977. There were six in 1977, four in 1978, and four in 1979. The last flight was Air New Zealand Flight 901
Air New Zealand Flight 901
Air New Zealand Flight 901 was a scheduled Air New Zealand Antarctic sightseeing flight that operated between 1977 and 1979, from Auckland Airport to Antarctica and return via Christchurch...
of 28 November 1979 which crashed into Mount Erebus. The DC-10 flights flew from Auckland to McMurdo Sound, with later flights flying down the middle of the sound and over Scott Base rather than over Ross Island and near Mount Erebus. Many descended low over McMurdo Sound for the view, but could not go particularly slow as wing flaps could not be used to slow the aircraft in case they could not be retracted.
There were earlier scenic overflights, e.g. from Chile in 1958.
Yachting
There were private yacht voyages in the Southern OceanSouthern Ocean
The Southern Ocean comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60°S latitude and encircling Antarctica. It is usually regarded as the fourth-largest of the five principal oceanic divisions...
from the late 1960s, with some circumnavigations of Antarctica e.g. by David Henry Lewis
David Henry Lewis
David Henry Lewis, DCNZM was a sailor, adventurer, doctor, and Polynesian scholar. He is best known for his studies on the traditional systems of navigation used by the Pacific Islanders...
in 1972.
There are now about 30 yachts each year visiting the Antarctic Peninsula
Antarctic Peninsula
The Antarctic Peninsula is the northernmost part of the mainland of Antarctica. It extends from a line between Cape Adams and a point on the mainland south of Eklund Islands....
, which is in the warmer “banana belt.” Many four-day cruises leave from Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego
Tierra del Fuego is an archipelago off the southernmost tip of the South American mainland, across the Strait of Magellan. The archipelago consists of a main island Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego divided between Chile and Argentina with an area of , and a group of smaller islands including Cape...
in Argentina, others from Ushuaia
Ushuaia
Ushuaia may refer to the following:*Ushuaia, a city in Argentina.**Ushuaia Department, an administrative division**Ushuaia River**Ushuaia International Airport**Colegio Nacional de Ushuaia, National School of Ushuaia....
or Stanley
Stanley, Falkland Islands
Stanley is the capital and only true cityin the Falkland Islands. It is located on the isle of East Falkland, on a north-facing slope in one of the wettest parts of the islands. At the 2006 census, the city had a population of 2,115...
.
Yachting references
- The Antarctic Pilot (2004) by Hydrographer of the Navy, Britain.
- Sailing Directions (Planning Guide & Enroute) for Antarctica (2007) by US National Imagery and Mapping Agency. Publishers website