Should India Encourage Tourism in Antarctica?

Abstract

The global tourism, in Antarctica, has been growing rapidly due to persistent curiosity and splendour of Antarctic region. Antarctica remains awe inspiring pristine land of unparalleled beauty that has to be seen and explored to be believed—for most of the people. Ever since the regulations of Environmental Protection measures became an essential component of tourism policy in Antarctica, the tourism industry has grouped itself under an organized non-governmental activity and arranged to adhere to CEP (Committee on Environmental Protection) guidelines on landings, visits to sites of historical and intrinsic values and maintaining safe distance from the wild life. This has encouraged State sponsorship from some countries in the form of issuing permits for visits to Antarctica which in turn has had visible contribution in the development of travel market and ancillary industries linked to shipping, port development etc., in the gateway centres that act as departure points for Antarctica. The tourist inflow to Antarctica is essentially concentrated to Antarctic Peninsula, South Shetland Islands and sub-Antarctic islands which are accessible from Argentina’s port of Ushuaia or Punta Arenas of Chile by air. Cape Town, Christ Church and Hobart are other gateways to Antarctica. For tourists from northern hemisphere, especially Asia, Antarctic travel is expensive since visitors have to undertake a costly journey to South America to avail a cruise or air trip to Antarctica. It is opined that India should take a lead and fill up the geographical gap existing in this arena. There exists a lot of potential for India to support and encourage regulated tourism to Antarctica, especially as it has two operational research stations and one abandoned historical site of its first permanent station in Antarctica.