University of Tasmania
Browse
Carl[1].Murray,_Article_3.pdf (116.94 kB)

Independent expeditions and Antarctic tourism policy

Download (116.94 kB)
Version 2 2023-06-23, 11:06
Version 1 2023-05-26, 15:25
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-23, 11:06 authored by C Murray, JA Jabour
Discussions about the management of non-governmental activities in Antarctica have been handicapped by a lack of clarity in terminology. The term 'tourism,' for example, is used in a catch-all manner to describe activities as widely divergent and incommensurable as overflights by commercial jetliners and solo ski traverses of the ice cap. Recent debate about stricter regulation of independent expeditions has been similarly confused. This paper examines these definitional hurdles and offers abroad categorization of activities in Antarctica. An overview of recent independent expeditions is then given and issues are discussed. It is suggested that, to date, the terms of the debate have been set by the most powerful vested interests in Antarctica and that the discussion itself has been polarized. The paper does not prescribe policy but indicates alternative points of view and argues that the strict regulatory approach increasingly favoured by some national programs is out of all proportion to the size of potential problems and could diminish traditions of cooperation, non-proprietorship, and the adventurous spirit, which have uniquely characterized human endeavour in Antarctica.

History

Publication title

Polar Record

Volume

40

Issue

215

Article number

215

Number

215

Pagination

309-317

ISSN

0032-2474

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Publication status

  • Published

Rights statement

C Murray

Repository Status

  • Open

Socio-economic Objectives

110402 Socio-cultural issues in tourism

Usage metrics

    University Of Tasmania

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC