What the future of polar travel looks like
At this time, last year, Antarctic tourism was at its peak. More than 56,000 people traveled to the continent during the 2018-2019 season, an increase of 53% with respect to 2014-2015 data, according to the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO) . With visitor numbers predicted to reach 85,000 in the next few years, vendors struggled to keep up with demand while, at the same time, manage environmental impact.
And now that? "We are attentive to how companies are going to survive" says Denise Landau, former IAATO Executive Director and member of the American Polar Society.
Arctic tour companies and cruise lines face a similar crisis. “At least 50% of Arctic trips in 2020 have been canceled or postponed” Lynn Cross says, co-founder of Polar Cruises. Many Polar Cruises passengers have brought their trip forward from 2020 to 2021; others wait until a vaccine is developed before changing the reservation.
Occupancy figures are far from cruise lines' only concern: the Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators Association's geographic range encompasses from the Russian Arctic National Park to the Canadian Arctic , including islands of Svalbard and Jan Mayen in Norway, Iceland and Greenland says Malik Milfeldt, AECO's interim director of communications.
“Currently it is not allowed or it is very difficult to travel to these places without being subject to quarantine rules that make tourism virtually impossible Milfeldt says. While Iceland has announced plans to reopen to travelers in mid-June, the Canadian government closed the Canadian Arctic for cruise travel completely by 2020. The status of other destinations remains variable.
The sunset from Nuuk, Greenland
"Although we were disappointed, we wholeheartedly support these measures," he says. Cedar Swan, CEO of Adventure Canada, a specialist in Arctic cruises . “We visit many small communities that, due to their remoteness, are quite vulnerable. The health and safety of the places we visit is our top priority ”.
Operators in the Antarctic and Arctic look to IAATO and AECO for guidance, while integrating CDC guidelines into everyday travel experiences. As they can travelers social distancing when whale watching on a Zodiac raft or visit a penguin colony ? Right now, there are more questions than answers.
Colin O'Brady, an endurance athlete Known for his record-breaking Antarctic expeditions, he has a hard time imagining any expedition trips in 2020, given the logistics of adhere to social distancing rules . “Although the polar regions have very low population density, the most common ways to travel there require being around other people : cruise ships, small cargo planes, helicopters, group cooking tents,” he says.
To understand how polar tourism may change in the future , we interviewed more than a dozen tour operators, adventurers, and conservationists. These are his predictions of what lies ahead.
THE DESIRE TO AVOID CROWDS COULD (EVENTUALLY) BE A BLESSING FOR POLAR COMPANIES
Everyone is going crazy sheltering in place, but the caution of congested cities may inspire some travelers to seek long-term experiences. Antarctica is currently Intrepid Travel's number one destination for new bookings, both globally and from North American travelers, according to Antarctic operations manager Will Abbott.
Tessum Weber of Weber Arctic, a provider of family adventures that operates two wilderness lodges in northern Canada, as well as a ski base camp on Baffin Island, has also seen increased interest. “COVID-19 has pushed people to explore wilderness that have not yet been intervened by humans,” says Weber. "The thirst for wild places only seems to be growing."
The challenge, of course, will be balance a potential tourism boom with the protection of mother nature. "As demand increases, more people with little experience in these regions will have a negative impact on the environment," says Weber. "Our focus is and will continue to be ensuring that people leave with a new appreciation for these environments and how to protect them for future generations.
ENTRY COUNTRIES MAY CHANGE
Before the pandemic, Antarctica could be accessed through Christchurch; Hobart, Tasmania; Punta Arenas, Chile; Ushuaia, Argentina; and Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands . Some countries that serve as shipping points are still closed to foreign visitors or imposing two-week quarantines.
Ushuaia, Argentina, one of the access points to Antarctica.
“There is an interconnection in Antarctica that, under normal circumstances, creates a collaborative environment that allows science, tourism, heritage management and environmental conservation thrive ”, says Camilla Nichol, executive director of the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT), a non-profit organization focused on conservation. But some of those relationships have been strained as a result of the pandemic.
"One of the biggest obstacles we face is global travel restrictions and if we can create a secure travel loop that allows our guests to move to and from our expeditions," says Intrepid's Abbott. "Government travel restrictions around the world could cause significant disruption to the 2020-2021 Antarctic season if our clients cannot safely leave their countries of origin.
Landau experienced this firsthand in March, when he was helping to negotiate the return of banned cruise ships at disembarkation points in Argentina and Chile. “For an Antarctic season to work well, there has to be much cooperative bilateral discussion between operators, politicians, cities, mayors and the ports Landau says.
“Argentina was one of the most difficult countries to work in, while Uruguay and the Falkland Islands were incredible” . The latter two adopted a humanitarian view of the crisis , allowing ships to dock and passengers to immediately board charter flights back to their home countries. Argentina, meanwhile, sealed its borders, even to its own citizens.
Although Uruguay and the Falklands may be easier to work with, they also present other logistical challenges. Ships leaving Uruguay they have to travel twice as much as those leaving Chile or Argentina ; additional nights on board would increase operating costs. The Falkland Islands are closer to Antarctica than Uruguay, but your airport can only receive a limited number of flights.
Health and safety protocols for foreign arrivals are still being refined. Some sources we spoke with expect to see temperature checks or COVID-19 tests at airports; others believe that luxury companies may try to circumvent commercial flight restrictions by chartering private jets. Which means, of course, that polar voyages could be even more elitist.
Antarctica has always been considered a "once in a lifetime luxury" says Michael Pullman, director of marketing for adventure travel company Wild Frontiers. After a year of being cooped up indoors, "many people may feel like it's (finally) time to go to that place they've always wanted to visit." UKAHT's Nichol wouldn't be surprised to see an uptick in the independent superyacht market, as well as increased interest in experiences on land , "an exclusive market, but very possible".
TRAVELER SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT, BUT SO IS PROTECTING LOCAL COMMUNITIES
The downside of visiting some of the most isolated corners of the world is the absence of medical facilities . Testing and treatment resources are extremely limited above the Arctic Circle and below the Drake Passage , and evacuation is never an easy thing.
Watching the whales between icebergs is a magical experience.
The spread of disease to communities at risk is an even greater threat. “Travellers will need to realize that it's not just about when they feel comfortable to travel, but also about when other communities feel comfortable for you to visit ” says Ange Wallace, Virtuoso travel advisor and co-founder of Wallace Pierson Travel.
This problem weighs heavily on Nicolas Dubreuil, PONANT's expedition leader. "Communities in the polar regions are very sensitive to certain viruses" Dubreuil says. "We will have to resume visits with infinite caution and we may have to avoid contact with indigenous populations for some time On the other hand, Dubreuil says that tourism is a vital source of income and companies must find new solutions to support local communities without endangering their citizens.
An idea raised by Milfeldt of AECO was buy locally made handicrafts in bulk and sell them on board the boats . Another was to facilitate educational presentations or entertainment from a safe distance . Beach and nature landings could also become a predominant experience for the foreseeable future.
"I hope that (COVID-19) gives local populations the opportunity to be more demanding and aware of the agencies that come to the region, and to rebuild the visitation structure in a way that is an enriching experience for local hosts says Swan of Adventure Canada. He also hopes it will serve as a wake-up call for the tourism industry , inspiring its constituents to act with new purpose and reimagine their roles as environmental protectors.
TEMPORARY CLOSURE COULD BE GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
Like all destinations that have suffered a confinement, we have already seen the environmental benefits of reduced emissions, fewer boats sailing the waters and fewer feet on the ground . Almost every company we talked to saw COVID-19 as a reckoning or, as Wild Frontiers' Pullman put it, "a drastic temporary solution to the problems of mass tourism".
“The polar cruise industry has been in the crosshairs of critics for some time now, and I see this as an opportunity for shipping companies to improve its commitment to sustainability says Jeff Bonaldi, CEO of adventure travel company The Explorer's Passage.
AECO's Milfeldt agrees. “ Those of us who live and breathe the Arctic as a unique polar part of the world, with its amazing ecosystem, wildlife, icebergs, glaciers and sparsely distributed populations, we have always known that it is vulnerable and that we must take care of it ", he says." COVID-19 only reaffirms our belief that people must do their part to protect and preserve it establishing rules of conduct and educating their guests so that the only thing they leave behind are footprints".
Report originally published in Condé Nast Traveler USA.