Tourism and Non-Governmental Activities

Tourism in Antarctica, primarily vessel-based, has experienced significant growth since its commercial beginnings in the late 1950s. From just a few hundred tourists each austral summer in the early 1990s, the number has now reached over 100,000 passengers annually. The majority of these visitors travel by ship to the Antarctic Peninsula, a region easily accessible from South American ports within a few days.

Approximately 98% of all tourism voyages occur in the Antarctic Peninsula during the seven-month austral summer (October to April). Each season, more than 20 Antarctic sites frequently host over 15,000 visitors. The ATCM issues specific guidelines for the most frequently visited sites, providing practical advice for tour operators and guides on how to manage visits while safeguarding the sites’ environmental values.

While commercial deep-field and air-based tourism activities are a more recent development, beginning in the late 1980s (apart from a few previous private voyages) they represent a small but rapidly growing segment of overall Antarctic tourism.

Most tour operators active in Antarctica are members of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), which also participates in the ATCM as an invited expert organization. 

The main ATCM regulations and guidelines for tourists and expedition organizers are compiled in the Manual of Regulations and Guidelines Relevant to Tourism and Non-Governmental Activities in the Antarctic Treaty area, adopted by ATCM XLIII through Decision 6 (2021). This comprehensive compilation also incorporates provisions on tourism derived from the Antarctic Treaty and the Protocol on Environmental Protection. In addition to establishing guidelines for Antarctic tourism, the ATCM also requires the submission of post-visit reports. 

Furthermore, Measure 4 (2004), which addresses contingency planning, insurance and related matters, is currently under consideration by the Consultative Parties. Through Resolution 4 (2025), the ATCM updated the General Guidelines for Visitors to the Antarctic. 

These overarching guidelines aim to ensure that all visits, regardless of location, do not adversely impact the Antarctic environment or its scientific and aesthetic values.