Sustainable Tourism and Natural Resource Conservation in the Polar Regions.

Purpose - Tourism in Antarctica is rapidly growing and diversifying, which raises concerns about its impacts and the robustness of the current regulatory regime. Focusing on the analysis of past developments and trends of Antarctic tourism, this paper aims to describe the future opportunities for tourism in Antarctica. Design/methodology/approach - Using literature on the recreation opportunity spectrum (ROS) and ecotourism opportunity spectrum (ECOS), the paper analyzes the future opportunities of Antarctic tourism and the key factors that determine the window of opportunity for Antarctic tour operators. Findings - The analysis shows that tourism opportunities in Antarctica are defined by a combination of factors, which the authors integrate into an Antarctic tourism opportunity spectrum (ATOS). The paper argues that the opportunity settings for tourism in Antarctica vary from operations of increasing scale and efficiency to the continued development of smaller scale niche products, both of which will continue to diversify and drive the development of tourism in Antarctica. Research limitations/implications - The paper is an attempt to transfer the concept of ROS, originally designed for the operational level of national park management, to the more strategic level of tourism trends in Antarctica. The research findings are based on stakeholder interaction within a limited number of countries. Practical implications - The paper is a potential source of information and advice for policy makers and managers of Antarctic resources, as well as scholars interested in Antarctic tourism issues. Originality/value - The paper contributes to the ongoing debate on the regulation of tourism in Antarctica.

This paper analyses the main strengths and weaknesses of self-regulation in the Antarctic tourism sector. Ostrom's theory of collective action and especially the design principles for robust management of common pool resources provide the framework for this analysis. The paper notes the rapid growth and diversification of tourism in Antarctica over the past two decades. It examines why formal tourism legislation has been limited because of the complex governance structure in Antarctica. It describes the self-regulation of tourism management that occurs through the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO). The success of IAATO is attributed to the high degree of organisation in the sector, largely because of the perceived benefits of membership. Continued incentives for self-organisation are needed but changing circumstances may lead tour operators to believe that IAATO membership is no longer advantageous. The paper shows that, under current conditions, the Antarctic tourism self-regulatory regime is a robust institution. However, with increasing numbers of tourists and operators the institutional structure may be weakened in the future.

Tourism in Antarctica is rapidly growing and diversifying, which raises concerns about its effects on the environment. Research and policy-making efforts have so far focused on the impacts on Antarctica's own ecosystems, whereas global impacts have all but been ignored. This article presents an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions produced by Antarctic tourism. Emissions are shown to be considerable, with aviation and cruises being the main sources. Tourism to the Antarctic ranks among the most energy-intensive segments in the tourism market. It is argued that greenhouse gas emissions should be included in environmental impact assessments. Improving the global environmental performance of Antarctic tourism is difficult, because of its exclusive dependency on long-haul trips.

This book holds key papers from the fifth conference and community workshop of the International Polar Tourism Research Network (IPTRN), held in the village of Raufarhöfn (population 160) in Northeast Iceland at the end of August 2016. In total, 40 papers were presented at the conference which explored how expectations towards tourism development in peripheral places can be managed to contribute to the cultural well-being of peripheral communities and enhance the protection of the environment. The seven papers contained herein, in addition to the editorial, can roughly be grouped into two categories. The first set of four papers deals with methods and key assets for developing sustainable tourism operations in the Polar Regions. The second set of three papers deals more with the implications of different means of access to the more remote parts of the Polar Regions.