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The Origins and Development of Antarctic Tourism Through Ushuaia as a Gateway Port

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Tourism in Antarctica

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Geography ((BRIEFSGEOGRAPHY))

Abstract

From a diachronic perspective, this contribution offers an analysis of seaborne tourism to Antarctica focusing on Ushuaia as a base port and/or a port of call from 1958 to 2014. In this respect, a periodization was undertaken according to key factors that determined the tourist shipborne flows to Antarctica. The analysis starts with the first tourist voyage to Antarctica on board the vessel Les Eclaireurs, organized by Argentina in January 1958 and it finishes in 2014, including the 2014/2015 Austral summer season. The comparison of different sources enables a revision of the voyages, tourist flows, evolution of seasons, factors that influenced the development of Antarctic tourism and the role of Ushuaia as a gateway city. Likewise, a reference to the “tourist boom” in the 1970s is given, since it is the period when Antarctic shipborne tourism consolidates as a tourist product, being the most active decade before the sustained growth that started in the 1990s. Also, the occurrence of large cruise ships is taken into account. Finally, an integrated analysis per period is provided.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    It refers to the inbound and outbound clearance documentation provided by the captain in charge of the vessel.

  2. 2.

    Data were obtained from a brochure corresponding to the 18º voyage organized by Delfino and Co. to the Fuegian Channels in 1929 on board the vessel Monte Olivia. Available at http://www.histarmar.com.ar/LineasPaxaSA/41-HamburgSud-Crucero1929MonteOlivia.htm.

  3. 3.

    He worked for a very famous Argentine magazine named Caras y Caretas, which was published in Buenos Aires between 1898 and 1941.

  4. 4.

    nformation was taken from the newspaper La Nación, March 16th 1958, Sect. 2, p. 3, Buenos Aires.

  5. 5.

    A similar voyage was organized by Chile in 1959, aboard the naval vessel Navarino, carrying 84 passengers (Reich 1980; Palazzi 1993). This journey did not register a call at Ushuaia.

  6. 6.

    Information taken from the newspaper La Nación December 13th, 1966, p. 9. Buenos Aires.

  7. 7.

    In the beginning she was both a reefer and passenger vessel, but later she was modified to carry only passengers, with a capacity for 400.

  8. 8.

    Costa Cruise Fleet. The history of the company. Available at: http://www.costacruisesasia.com/B2C/SharedResources/Corporate/History/pdf/STORIA_COMPLETA_E.pdf (Para 8).

  9. 9.

    This company was founded by Gustavo Giró Tapper, an Antarctic expert who was in charge of two Antarctic research stations (San Martín and Esperanza). Besides, he participated as the second chief in command of the first Argentine terrestrial expedition to the South Pole, named “Operation 90” in 1966 (Operación 90).

  10. 10.

    The polar vessel Bahía Paraíso had 80 berths for tourists, a dining room, a living room and bar and a hospital with a surgery room.

  11. 11.

    Antartur: Antarctica. Programme and itinerary (Antártida. Programa e itinerario). 6th and 7th voyage departing on December 21st 1986 and on January 3rd 1987.

  12. 12.

    When the ship was built, she was named Lindblad Explorer in 1969. Later, renamed as Society Explorer in 1982 when she passed to Vienna International Shipping Corporation and finally, as Explorer in 2004 when owned by GAP Adventurers.

  13. 13.

    Non-IAATO vessels: Aegean I, Ocean Explorer, Marco Polo and Rotterdam VI (IAATO 2000).

  14. 14.

    From 2004 onwards, Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties agreed on forming a working group to discuss tourism matters. Two Antarctic Treaty Meetings of Experts took place. The Madrid Protocol establishes environmental management in Antarctica. Besides, the ATCM has agreed on several measures related to tourism.

  15. 15.

    The following paragraph was noted in the IAATO’s information paper Overview of Antarctic Tourism Activities (IAATO 1999, p. 6): “The significance of the size of the vessel as it relates to potential impact, contingency planning and emergency response is complex, and factors such as choice of landing site, number of landings, type of fuel carried may be of equal or greater importance than the size of the vessel. These are not issues that are easily resolved. In particular, IAATO members are concerned that potential cumulative environmental impacts and emergency response requirements of very large vessels could adversely impact on the principles of safe and environmentally responsible travel to Antarctica”.

  16. 16.

    Safety of Life at the Sea (1974).

  17. 17.

    The Explorer was the former Lindblad Explorer/Society Explorer.

  18. 18.

    Former Marina Svetaeva.

  19. 19.

    Former Akademik Schuleykin.

  20. 20.

    Former Clipper Adventurer, her original name was Alla Tarasova.

  21. 21.

    Polar Code and the amendments to SOLAS Convention were adopted by IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) while the amendments to MARPOL were adopted by IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC).

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  1. Instituto de Desarrollo Económico e Innovación, Universidad Nacional de Tierra del Fuego, Onas 450, 0910, Ushuaia, Argentina

    Marie Jensen & Marisol Vereda

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  1. Marie Jensen
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  2. Marisol Vereda
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Correspondence to Marie Jensen .

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Jensen, M., Vereda, M. (2016). The Origins and Development of Antarctic Tourism Through Ushuaia as a Gateway Port. In: Tourism in Antarctica. SpringerBriefs in Geography. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39914-0_5

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