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| Chad Carey |
Where once repurposed research ships were the run of the mill vessel of choice. Now state-of-the-art expedition ships are transporting tourists, opening the destination to a wider range of travel styles. Antarctic travel now caters to those who want light adventure, those who are attracted more to the onboard experiences of spa treatments and dining and those who want even more adventure than before, travelling on ice breakers, for example. But there are still options for the traditional small ship expedition experience where immersive light adventure, off the ship remains the focus.
“Initially this change resulted in an increase in travellers to the destination, but it is still minor by comparison to other parts of our planet. Despite the perception that the destination has 'exploded', approximately 120,000 travellers pales in comparison to the approximately 80,000,000 tourists per year to France, as an example. Antarctica remains remote and sought by more adventurous travellers, despite the widening demographic visiting.” Said Chad Carey, Managing Director for Chimu Adventures.
Kieron Tebbutt, Chimu's head of reservations added, “Today we almost see the principal attraction of Antarctica turning full circle, which is, the destination itself. This was the main attraction for decades, the ship being merely the transport to see it. In recent years there has been a focus on the variety of amazing ships now on offer which, I feel, confused the market for a while, distracting the client from the spectacular destination. However, operators are seeing more and more that their main objective must be to showcase and protect the destination. The experience rich cruise is currently the most sought after.”
Tourism in Antarctica is not like any place on the planet. With most operators working strictly under safety and responsible travel guidelines, minimising impact on the destination and travellers leaving Antarctica with only memories.
“What we have also noticed and applaud, is that the way travellers are introduced to Antarctica is more mindful than ever. Restrictions on where and for how long travellers can land, how close they can be to wildlife, their involvement in citizen science, their education on the fragility of the planet and the giveback opportunities have evolved to a platinum standard that should be adopted across the globe.” Said Carey.
With a deeper understanding of the destination and more sophisticated small ships in the markets, the itineraries have also changed, where once there were four standard itineraries run by most operators, now there are a multitude. Ranging from the typical peninsula and Falklands South Georgia Cruise to a deep dive into the East Coast, where the great explorers once frequented. There are also itineraries leaving from the Antipodes, travelling the coast of Antarctica and ending in either Cape Town or Ushuaia. On top of this, the Sub Antarctic islands beneath New Zealand and Australia are growing in popularity, with both experienced polar travellers and local travellers yearning for a sub-polar experience closer to home.
“The variety of itineraries not only allows travellers to visit different parts of the coastline of Antarctica and the surrounds, it also allows the selection of cruise companies in the area to operate in isolation on their respective itineraries, which offers less impact on the locations they visit and a richer customer experience.” Said Carey.
There remains a lot of work to be done in not only the Antarctica Tourism sector, but globally in all industry sectors, and that is attacking the elephant in the room, the burning of carbon.
“The interesting progression will be in the next five years, as operators figure out how to decarbonise to meet IMO targets (20-30% reduction by 2030 and 70 – 80% by 2040, against 2008 levels). Whilst we are not there yet, it is impressive to see that a lot of work is being done behind the scenes by a number of responsible operators. There is an accelerated passion for this project in the Expedition Cruise space from both crew and travellers, aligned with a desire for a greener future, and it is my belief that tourism operators around the world will be looking at the expedition cruise sector in the future to replicate the carbon reduction successes”.
With ongoing efforts to minimise environmental impact and ensure a sustainable future, Chimu Adventures anticipates Antarctica to remain a pristine destination for intrepid explorers for years to come.
“Today we and many other operators are offsetting carbon emissions, but that is a stepping stone, the research and investment in long term sustainable solutions is where a lot of behind the scenes work is in progress, the future does not belong to band aids.” Said Cary.
As an aggregator for Antarctic cruises, Chimu Adventures offers access to the best ships and itineraries in the region, allowing travellers and travel agents alike to work with our specialist team, comparing options and finding the perfect adventure. To learn more about the cruises and itineraries available in Antarctica, visit www.chimuadventures.com/antarctica
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