Polar cruise tourism

Abstract

This Chapter offers a critical discussion of the legal framework for regulating tourism to the Arctic and Antarctic, in particular ship-borne tourism. Two case studies offer an in-depth analysis of the current regulatory mechanisms and explore how well suited they are to address the rapidly changing nature of Polar tourism activities. Our first case study focuses on Arctic Canada, where significant regulatory complexity presents significant barriers to entry for new tourism operators. Our second case study concerns the Ross Sea region, where a short season and the destination’s remoteness limit the number of operators. Tourism here, and across the entire Antarctic region, is subject to high-level regulation under the Antarctic Treaty System as implemented within national jurisdictions. The Chapter examines the interplay of international regulation through, for instance, the International Maritime Organization’s Polar Code or the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and national policies.